


Raised by Wolves

by idiom



Category: James Bond (Movies), Skyfall (2012) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-29
Updated: 2013-05-15
Packaged: 2017-11-22 19:35:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/613490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idiom/pseuds/idiom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[A 00Q Jungle Book/Tarzan AU]</p><p>Q is given a position on an expedition to central India. So, he heads out into the wilds of the Indian jungle with a small team led by renowned biologist who simply goes by the initial, M. One evening, Q is just trying to get some alone time away from M and Silva's arguing, instead he gets himself lost in the jungle. In the midst of a wolf attack, he is rescued by a Wildman who he learns is called James.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> FML that's the corniest title in the world!  
> Yes, this is actually a thing that I am writing... what is my life...  
> Mainly inspired by Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book [1994 film]

-o-

            The year was 1876. A fortnight after their departure from England, the team travelling aboard the sailing vessel, HMS Skyfall, had finally arrived on the luscious shores of the Indian coast. They were a small team financed by a few of the great English universities and their goal was to do an in-depth taxonomic classification of some of the more prominent species living in the Jungles of central India. The team was led by a world-renowned biologist who was a woman both enjoying her fame and keeping her privacy by simply being refereed to as M.

            Working under M were two students. One was another Biologist, Eve Moneypenny. Miss Moneypenny was M's teaching assistant back at the University where she was a professor of Biology. She was an invaluable addition to the team. The other was the young man who had been at the top of her class the term before despite the fact that he an engineering student reading communications. His name was Geoffrey Boothroyd. They’d dubed him ‘Q’ when he picked up the job of Quartermaster. He was the only one the other trust to handle the firearms without shooting anyone. They certainly didn’t trust Silva.

            Raoul Silva led the team’s small security detachment. During their stop off in Spain, M had brought Silva and his men onboard. Apparently it was going to be incredibly dangerous in the jungle and M had decided they would need a little extra protection. Q couldn't have agreed more, if their camp got attacked by a pack of wolves or a tiger they would be dead before anyone could even run for help. However, Q didn’t understand why they hadn’t been assigned a detail of British soldiers… he assumed it had something to do with expenses. Silva's team was "willing and cheap" according to M.

            Originally, Q had been overjoyed when his application to join the expedition had been accepted. He’d been so excited, thinking this trip was going to be so much more of an adventure. He’d imagined camping in a savannah watching a beautiful Indian sunset flood light over exotic animals he’d only ever seen stuffed. The reality of what he got was a trek through the soggy jungles of central India. During the day there was not an animal in sight, only the sounds of them scurrying away from the group trampling through the forest. At night, though, the animals kept the entire team awake with their incessant hooting and hollering. Q knew this expedition was going to drive him mad before it could really even get started.

            On their fifth day travelling through the jungle they came across a large clearing at the base of the mountain they’d been hiking towards. The ancient, towering forest surrounded them, but they could still see the green peak stretching into the misty sky. It was late in the afternoon and the day’s clear blue sky was slowly fading to a dull orange.

            “Ah! What a beautiful view, hm?” Silva looked over at M with an expectant smirk.

            M cast Silva a sideways glance.  “Let’s just set up our camp.”

            Q had to bite back a laugh at the dramatic pout that crossed over Silva’s face. The mercenary was an odd man. M said she only hired him because he came well prepared and seemed capable. Q wasn’t sure if there was something actually wrong with mister Silva or if he was just… well… European. Either way, the Spaniard was always good for a bit of a laugh.

            They had some work to do before they could lay down the foundations of their base camp. The team laid down their tents and propped them up before unpacking the rest of the camp. It was easy enough to clear the short ferns and tall grass from the clearing, the hard work came setting up tents and putting up fences to house their horses and meager cattle.

            “This is perfect,” Moneypenny said with a happy sigh. She placed her hands on her hips and pointed up to the mountain. “I can start mapping out areas tonight that we can go over tomorrow.”

            “One of Silva’s men is going to make us a feast, apparently,” M said, straightening her coat. She crossed her arms over her chest, seeming pessimistic about the idea.

            Q watched as everyone started to get to work on one thing or another. He crossed his arms over his chest and approached M who was leaning over a map next to Moneypenny. “Anything I can do?”

            M looked up at him. “Of course. You are our Quartermaster after all.” She smiled. “See to it that Silva’s men are equipped to protect our camp.”

            Q knew what that meant. There was a crate on their horses and in that crate was a small arsenal donated for their protection by the crown.  He needed to hand out weapons and ammunition – military grade riffles and bayonets. As went about supervising the men, Q realized some of them might be needing the most basic lessons on how to fire the things.

            “Oh, Q!” Silva purred as he stripped his weapon. “I might need your help polishing my gun.” He winked at the boy while the men around him tittered quietly.

            Q was shocked. He let out a hesitant laugh and moved on. “Strange man,” he mumbled to himself.

            He stuck with M and Moneypenny from that point on, letting Silva instruct his men in the firing off of their riffles at the edge of camp. Q rested his head on his on one hand, his elbows on the map Moneypenny was tracing lines onto. He stared off into the jungle, listening to the sound of M complaining about the noise from the rifle fire.

            “I’m more worried about the wasted ammunition,” he muttered.

            “Wasted…” That realization obviously hadn’t dawned on M. “Bloody hell, Q, go stop them!” she demanded.

            With a sigh, Q stood from his seat one a crate and wandered off towards the mercenary firing line. Silva stood there, looking very military with his hands folded behind his back. “And fire!” he ordered in a booming voice.

            “Mister Silva!” Q called out over the volley of gunfire.

            “Cease fire!” Silva turned his head, looking back over his shoulder towards him. “Hello, Q. We were just getting in some target practice.”

            Q eyed the line of trees at the edge of the forest, completely stripped of their bark. “Yes, if we are ever attacked by anthropomorphic trees, I’ll be sure to call.” Silva pursed his lips at that, either because he understood that he was being mocked or because he didn’t understand some of Q’s words. Q wasn’t sure, but he continued with what he’d originally wondered over to say.

            “I was having a talk with M and we think you need to be more conservative with ammunition. So, I’ll be allotting a strict allocation, and I want all but the weapons that are going to be used by the night watchmen returned to me ever evening.”

            Silva seemed taken aback by Q’s assertiveness, but he nodded. “Mm, I suppose you do have a point.” He cracked a wide grin. “Such a clever boy,” he purred.

            Q resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Thank you for your cooperation, mister Silva. I will see you at dinner,” Q spun around, returning to where M and Moneypenny has moved on to being a discussion on the methods they could use to keep the organization of their findings consistent. Q sat down in the same position he’d been in before and let their voices fade into the background of his mind as he stared off into the forest.

            He would go exploring tomorrow. Yes. That would be far more exciting.

-o-

            The next day Q wandered away from camp in the midst of an argument between M and Silva. It was the midafternoon, an awkward time around their camp. All their revising work for the day was finished an hour after them getting back from completing their exploration in the field and it was still an hour before dinner being ready. There was nothing for them to do in that time but tidy the camp wait for the evening meal.

            Q knew if he asked, M would not let him go on a walk by himself, even when that was the entire point and he really needed to be alone just for an hour or so. So in the midst of their verbal sparring, he’d taken his chance to slip away for a while – only a while, he’d be back long before dinner and probably long before M and Silva were finished arguing too.

            “We are not here for your sport mister Silva!” Q could hear M shouting at Silva behind him as he left, soon disappearing into the thick underbrush.

            The Spaniard was chuckling. He was already reloading his pistol – a weapon of his own, thus not in their control. “If I am being told I am not allowed to shoot anything, I’m going to start wondering why I am even here at all. The promised pay wasn’t exactly impressive.”

            “You may shoot them, but only when it is necessary to protect the camp,” M chided.

            “Protect the camp.” Silva snorted. “That is exactly what I was doing. That monkey could have run off with our supplies.” He smirked.

            “A likely tale, mister Silva. I’m having Q take your gun away! Q!” M spun around only to find her Quartermaster had vanished. “Q?” She called out, but he was nowhere to be found.

            Silva’s brow creased. “Not such a clever boy after all,” he said snidely.

            M took a moment to glare at him before she turned back to the ever-darkening jungle. It was only the early evening, at least two hours before it got dark, but she couldn’t help but feel concern. “Damn it, Q,” she hissed under her breath.

-o-

            Lost in his thoughts, Q wandered deeper into the dense jungle than he’d originally planned. He’d been walking for an hour and before he noticed it was starting dark. When he saw the sky through the trees turn a deep orange with an Indian sunset glow, he started back towards the camp. He thought he was going in a straight line, but when he ended up back at a familiar stump in one patch of jungle, Q realized that he was lost in the dense forest.

            Q paused, taking deep breaths to stave off the panic that was slowly creeping through him. He knew what procedure to take, he needed to hunker down and wait for someone else to find him, or until he could fine a way to navigate himself better. Plus, it was getting too darker now and Q knew he couldn’t risk accidentally wandering even deeper into the jungle.

            A couple meters away Q found a short cliff overlooking a quiet ravine. If he became desperate he could use the ravine to navigate, he remembered they’d passed a waterway sometime before finding the site for their camp. A collapsed tree lay just before the shoulder of the cliff. Q sat on it looked around for anything he could use to make a lean-to. He was so busy in his planning that he didn’t notice he wasn’t alone until a growl startled him.

            Q spun around so fast he tripped over his own feet and feel to the soft ground. At that level, he came eye to eye with a wolf. Its upper lip pulled back, flashing its sharp white teeth as it growled at him.

            Q tried to scurry back as the creature came closer, it’s head bowed and eyes narrowed. The wolf seemed to sense his fear and it lunged at him. Q threw his hands up, his arms coming over his face to shield himself.

            Nothing happened.

            Q lowered his arms just in time to see a figure lung and tackle the wolf in mid air. The new figure scuffled with the wolf until the creature let out a sharp yelp and scurried back. The figure, Q could see now, was a man. He stood in a ready attack stance between Q and the wolf. The wolf did not seem pleased by this. It growled angrily but the man simply growled right back. It was a tense stand off, but after a hesitating moment the wolf backed down.

            “Good lord,” Q whispered as he watched his attacker slink back into the trees. At the sound of his voice, the man turned. He was a grubby mess, generally unruly and practically naked save for a barely fitting loincloth. “A Wildman!”

            The rough looking man approached Q, moving in so close that he was straddling the boy’s legs.  He pulled off the Q’s hat, seeming startled that it came off so easily. Q imagined that he must have been thinking that it was be part of Q’s head and was relieved to find that it wasn’t. The man stared at it in confusion for a moment, but the pith helmet was quickly tossed aside and suddenly the man was gripping Q’s shirt, pulling the young man to him. He looked into Q’s eyes for a long moment, then he leaned forward.           

            Q blushed furiously as the man buried his face between his neck and shoulder, taking a deep breath. He quickly realized the man must have been scenting him but… What was he? Some kind of mongrel?

            "Oh! Stop that!” Q cried as he felt the man’s lips on the sensitive skin there. “Get off me! Let me up!"

            The man seemed confused but Q's shrieking startled him enough to back off slightly. He was still crouching over Q, looking down at the boy, curiously. As Q was trying to recover from the shock of nearly being killed, the man grabbed at him again. Without warning, he curiously shoved one hand down the front of Q's trousers, puling it out seconds later when the boy cried out in surprise.

            This time Q sat up as the man sat back. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?!"

            The man frowned at his tone and tried to move closer again.

            "No! No." Q took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He placed his hands on the man’s chest trying not to notice how perfectly sculpted his muscle was. It made sense, if he was truly a Wildman he’d probably been living quite a strenuous life. Q snatched his hands away. Now was not the time to let his mind wonder.

            Sighing, Q cocked his head to one side, curious. "Do you speak?" His response came in the man pushing in closer. Q had to push him away again lest he end up on his back. 

            The man was smiling, as if he thought Q was just being playful. He grabbed Q's hands and pushed him back against the soft mossy ground.

            "No, I said!" Q shrieked. He wasn’t really scared anymore, just annoyed. It was maddeningly difficult to get anything through to this Wildman.

            The man huffed and pulled them both back into a sitting position. He seemed puzzled by Q’s behavior, but he obviously understood his distress even if he didn’t understand the words. The moment of bewilderment gave Q a moment to actually look at the man crouching low like an ape before him.

            The man was dirty, like he'd not had a proper bath ever in his life. Under that dirt and mud, Q could clearly see the man had blond hair and even though his skin was sun tanned it wasn't the same tan as any of Indian person Q had ever met.

            Q touched the man’s bearded cheek, picking off a piece of dried leaf. "You don't... look like a native.” He cocked his head to one side. “Who are you?"

            The man didn’t respond. Instead, he leaned in close and out of the blue he licked Q's nose.

            "Uhg!" Q exclaimed, backing off, rubbing the wet mark off his nose. When he had the chance to glare at the Wildman, Q noticed that he seemed to be holding back a smile.

            "You are a strange one, mister..." Q paused and frowned at the Wildman. "What is your name?"

            The man didn't seem interested in his words. He was looking at Q's clothes with a strange fascination. He pulled at the boy’s scarf before moving on to grab at his glasses.

            “Hey! Hey!” Q snatched his glasses back from the man. With a snap of his fingers, Q regained his attention. “What is your name?”

            The man blinked at him and began pulling at Q’s clothes all over again. The shiny silver buttons on Q’s shirt seemed to interest him. He tried to pull them off, but the thread held them firm. The Wildman pouted as Q slapped his hands away once more.

            “Stop that! Your name.” Q thought of how he could explain and then gestured to himself with a hand on his chest. "Geoffrey," he said in an attempt to teach the man his name in hope he’d receive one in reply.

            "Gofe." It was a good try. The man seemed to know he was having trouble.

            Q was surprised by how husky his voice was. It was as if the man hadn’t ever used his vocal chords. "No. Geoffrey," Q repeated, trying again slower.

            "Geofe," The man winced, still having trouble with the sounds. He shook his head and made a gruff sound like an upset pup.

            Q almost gave up at that point, but giving it one last shot he pointed at himself once more and said simply, "Q."

            The man’s eyes widened. "Q?" he said carefully.

            “Yes!” Q touched his chest again. “I am Q. You are?” He poked the man in the center of his chest.

            The Wildman grunted. He mimicked Q, gesturing at himself. "James."

            The way he said it was a bit odd but Q definitely heard "James". The Wildman must have had some, if relatively brief, contact with other people then. “Can you talk then?”

            “Talk then?” James repeated slowly. His accent wasn’t too bag, but he was only mimicking.

            “Do you speak a language?” Q clarified.

            James made another grunting noise. It was clear he was quickly loosing interest in talking.

            Q’s lips thinned as he pondered where to go from here. “Well, in any case I suppose I should thank you for saving my life.”

            At this point, James was just staring at his lips as he spoke. He seemed almost mesmerized.

            "I suppose it doesn't matter since I can’t find my way back to camp… I’ll probably die out here anyway. Damn if only I’d had the foresight to bring a compass."

            James blinked at him. With a smirk, he grabbed Q's cheeks and tilted the boys head downward so he could press his nose to his dark hair, inhaling his scent. Q allowed it, but grimaced as he silently pondered the filth in the man’s knotted beard. Suddenly, James stood, pulling Q up with him.

            “Oh, um,” Q blushed as he was pulled along. “Wait, where are we going?” he demanded as he was led into the blackening jungle. “James?”

            James seemed surprised to hear his own name. He paused and turned. “Q?”

            Q was about to ask again where James was leading him, but he realized it would be pointless. He decided to trust the man and let himself be lead into the trees. It got darker the sounds of the animals got louder, but James didn’t hesitate as he made his way through the jungle. Q couldn't imagine how worried M and Moneypenny must have been. He vowed to find his way back to the camp in the morning.

            They entered a clearing before a small waterfall. It seemed this was the source of the ravine. There was a cave in the rocky cliff but the open area surrounding the mouth of it was packed with wolves. One of them, older and shaggy, crept towards them, its eyes glaring white in the moonlight. James held Q close and growled at the wolf before it could come any closer.

            To Q’s surprise the wolf backed down immediately. None of the others even moved to attack them as James escorted Q into to the cave. It was dark, but at least there were no wolves in the cave. James set about making a fire.

            Q explored the small space, hey eyes full of wonder. He was amazed at how a man could live in such a Spartan space. There was nothing save for a pile of furs and a few decrepit pieces of salvage. They seemed to be from an exploration similar to the one Q was on. By the dark brown stains that could only been from blood, that adventure hadn’t ended very well.

            "Ah!" Q exclaimed, as he noticed a collection of small objects lying on top of the crate. There was an old map covered with navigation equipment. Q contemplated how all these objects got to this place… how James had gotten to this place. 

            Shaking his head, Q picked up a palm-sized compass. Seeing that it still worked he looked down at the map. The paper was decaying, but it must have been coated with something that protected it originally. The cave and the ravine were both clearly drawn on the map. By the light of the small fire and with the crumbling map Q was able to figure out the approximate area of the camp and with the compass he knew he’d be able to find his way back there.

“I need to get here? Do you know a safe path?”

            James point at the map and then in the direction Q needed to go.

            “Yes! Would you… like to come back to camp with me?" Q asked. "I think the others will find you perfectly marvelous!" He paused. "You don't... Understand any of this at all do you?"

            “Is it near or… far?” When James frowned, Q decided he would just have to illustrate, so he stood them both up. “Near.” He said, point at his feet. Taking several steps back he gestured at the distance between them. “Far.”

            James seemed to understand and he pointed at the camp location on the map. “Near,” he clarified.

            Q nodded. They would try to figure out a plan in the morning, for now, he was interested in the other objects James had salvaged. There was a suitcase in the corner of the room. James didn’t seem to mind, so Q opened it up. Q coughed at the strong, moldy smell, the case obviously hadn’t been opened for years.

            Inside, resting on top of everything else, there was also a framed photograph of a traveler and his young son, about ten years old. Judging by the date in the corner, the photo had been taken twenty years before.

            “Is this you? James.”

            James stared at the photo sadly. He pointed at the photo, from the older man to the boy. “Father. James.” He pointed at himself and smiled.

            Q looked up at him, surprised by the new word. “You do speak English!” upon seeing James’ brow crease into another frown he quickly added, “to some extent.”

            James huffed and handed the picture back to Q. He went over to the pile of animal furs in the corner and lay down. The fire was dying down, but James made no move to restart it. It was a particularly warm evening anyway.

            Q knew there was nothing much else he could do that night but sleep. James already seemed to be drifting off. Q took an old tartan blanket from the suitcase and laid it out on the stone ground on the other side of the fire. It didn’t help much, just a thin barrier of fabric between him and the rocky ground.

            Across from him, James grunted. “Q.”

            “Yes?”

            James seemed confused by what he was doing. He reached out his hand and made like he was trying to grab and apple that wasn’t there. To Q it looked like the universal gesture of a small child who wanted something. Apparently to James it meant ‘come here’.

            Q left his spot on the musty smelling blanket and approached the furs. He noticed there weren’t any wolf furs in the pile, which surprised him and didn’t at the same time. The Wildman obviously had some kind of connection with the animals.

            _A lone wolf,_ Q thought to himself with a private smile.

            He settled down next to James. There wasn’t much space for them both, but that didn’t really matter, since James seemed to want Q close. As soon as he was lying down, Q found himself pulled into the man’s strong arms. Again, he could hear James inhale deeply as he tucked Q’s head under his chin.

            “Right,” Q mumbled, unable to move for James’ limbs holding him. He decided not to struggle against the hold, why bother? James had been living in the jungle for twenty years; surely this was as safe and warm as Q could ever hope to get in the circumstances. With a sigh, Q closed his eyes and nodded off to sleep.

-o-

            In the early morning the feeling of movement behind him woke Q. He tried to turn but found he was still pinned with his back against James’ chest. Looking back over his shoulder Q could tell that James was obviously still asleep, but the Wildman was moving, his hips rolling in small circles as he pressed himself up against Q’s back.

            Q felt his face heat in realization of what was happening. James was rutting against him in his sleep. Even through the fabric of his clothes Q could feel the hard bulge of his – apparently considerable – cock pressing between the cleft of his ass. The pressure inflamed something in Q that was usually so very well buried under layers of Victorian sensibility. As James pulled him close, Q found himself reaching into his own trousers. He started rubbing himself off against the palm of his own hand as the man held him, breath heating the back of his neck. It was base and filthy and Q loved ever tantalizing moment of the sordid affair. “Ahn!” With a bit off moan he came in his pants. Q's breathing came in short gasp as the man behind him continued his rut.

            Not long after, James reached his peak with a seemingly surprised groan. Q knew he was awake by that time because as he came down, he planted his face against Q’s neck and inhaled deeply, scenting him, as was his way. With satiated fog making his mind a haze, Q found himself relaxing back into the embrace.

            As the pleasure and thrill wore off, Q reviled by what had just happened. “Oh lord, oh lord,” he whispered to himself as he felt James hand slip under his shirt to run along his lower back. Q had to bite his fist to keep from letting out an indecent sound. James’ hand was wet with his release and Q could feel him gently rubbing it into his skin.

            _His scent, oh lord. He’s courting me like an animal._

Q’s mind was reeling at the thought. He turned, making to stop James, but as soon as they were facing each other, Q found himself caught up in those soft blue eyes. He knew, there were so many things wrong, not to mention illegal, about what he was feeling. Q was so far from caring in that moment though. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to James’ in a passionate kiss…

            Only to find the Wildman completely unresponsive.

            Q pulled back. James was staring down at him, eyes blinking curiously. He then leaned forward only to bury his face in Q’s neck like usual.

            “I suppose you don’t.” Q sighed. Of course he didn’t know kissing. James had lived in the depths of the Indian jungle for the entirety of his adult life. Q wondered if he even fully understood what had just happened between them.

            Q decided it was best not to dwell on it, lovely though the experience was.  He sat up and moved to look outside the cave, wondering if it was light out yet. When he got to the edge he was suddenly hit with the reminder that the cave was surrounded wolves in the form of a particularly angry looking she wolf. She was growling at Q, much like the large male had done the day before.

            Q was frozen in place. He did not move lest she lunge at him. Even as she got closer and closer no basic fight or flight instincts seemed to want to kick in. Q just stood there waiting for the inevitable.

            But again, the attack never came.

            The she wolf didn’t lunge for his throat. She simply sniffed the air. With an apparently satisfied huff she turned and went back to where the rest of the pack was lounging at the edge of the ravine.

            Q let out a long breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He tried to calm himself, but then a hand landed on his shoulder and he jumped letting out a high-pitched, “yip!” He swore he could hear the wolves down below snorting at him.

            James chuckled as well. “Q.” He said, nodding in the direction they would be travelling that morning.

            “Oh! Oh yes, just let me grab that map and compass!” Q rushed back into the cave. He quickly rolled up the map, careful not to ruin it, and then he tucked it into his bag. With the compass in hand, he was about to leave when, on second thought, he also grabbed the photograph of James and his father and tucked that into his bag as well.

            When Q finished and got back to the mouth of the cave, James was stille there waiting for him, chewing on a piece of what looked like smoked meat. He handed Q a piece. 

Q was inclined to decline, but his stomach would not let him. He took the strip of meat with a murmured, “Thank you” and bit into it as they started back out into the jungle.

            Q’s jaw ached as he chewed the tough meat, but he had to admit it wasn’t bad.

-o-


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year~  
> All your comments and kudos have been much appreciated!  
> Thanks and enjoy! :D

-o-

            Not one hour after their departure from the cave Q and James were already nearing the clearing where the camp was set up. James’ navigation through the dense jungle had been so perfect Q was astonished that they hadn’t even needed to pull out the map again. They couldn't see the edge of the undergrowth yet, but as they approached it Q could smell breakfast cooking and hear a throng of voices. One stood out above them all.

            “I can’t believe you’re just sitting down to have breakfast when Q has been out there alone all through the night!” He could hear Moneypenny shouting, presumably at Silva.

            That assumption proved correct when Q heard the man let out an indignant huff. “Exactly, he has been out there all night. What difference is it going to make if I eat my breakfast or not? I’m sure it won’t make a difference to Q, but for me it will make it so that I am not starving during my search,” he was muttering around a mouthful.

            Moneypenny responded with a frustrated snarl. “I can’t believe anyone could be so nonchalant in this situation!” As he approached, Q saw her throw her hands up. “I just can’t…”

            “Moneypenny!” Q cut in as he approached the edge of camp through the tall grass. He waved at her, relieved at having made it back.

            “My god! Q!” Moneypenny ran over to him. In the heat of the moment, she hugged him to her. Q had only a half-second to hug her back before her mood seemed to do a one-eight degree turn. Suddenly she was grabbing his shoulders and pushing him to arms length. “Look at you! You’re… Where the bloody hell have you been?” she hissed, glaring daggers at him.

            Q winced. “I got lost. I’m sorry.” Shamefaced, he looked down at his muddy shoes.

            Moneypenny practically shook him, which wasn’t very hard to do due to Q’s slight figure. “M and I have been worried sick!” she scolded. “M was actually just getting ready to begin the search for you! I can’t believe you would do something so… We’re responsible for you, you know! Do you have any idea what your brother would do to us if you had disappeared?!“

            “I know, I’m sorry. But look!” Q gestured behind him. Moneypenny obviously hadn’t even noticed James who was following at a wary distance. “I found a Wildman living in the Jungle!”

            “A… what?” Moneypenny stared, completely bewildered by this turn of events.

            It was Silva who came up behind her with the bowl containing his breakfast still in hand and asked, “Who is your new friend, Q?” His drawl seemed to pique James’ interest because he let out a quiet grunt as Silva spoke.

            “His name is James.” Behind him, Q noticed the man perk up at the sound of his name. “He’s been living with a wolf pack in a cave the base of a waterfall for the past twenty years,” he tried to explain.

            Ignoring Q, Silva cocked his head to one side and frowned at James. “What’s wrong with him?” he inquired around a spoonful of porridge.

            Q ushered James forward, but apart from shooting Silva a cool stare the man didn’t respond. Much to Q’s annoyance, he didn’t move an inch. “James?”

            “Q?” James shot back.

            Silva smirked. “Oh, Q! It knows your name, how cute!”

            “Shut up, Silva.” Moneypenny cut in. “Does he speak English, Q?”

            “Ah, I think he did at one point.” Q shrugged. “There’s some knowledge there somewhere, it’s just long unused.”           

            It was Moneypenny’s turn to frown. “How do you know all that then?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s quite an elaborate tale.”

            Q pursed his lips and fiddled with the edges of his sleeves. “I… well I deduced it, I suppose.”

            Silva snorted. “Of course you did. Clever boy.” He rolled his eyes and went back to the camp to finish eating his breakfast at the fireside.

            Moneypenny watched as he left before turning back to Q. “If your man here has been in the jungle for twenty years… Q, we need to interview him or something. Think of the wealth of knowledge he could have. How to survive; what’s poisonous; what’s dangerous; what else is out there...”

            Q smiled; he knew Moneypenny could go one forever listing the scientific possibilities. Looking back over his shoulder to James, he bit his lip. The Wildman was staring narrowly at Moneypenny. It wasn’t a trusting gaze. Judging by his mean, James seemed calm and collected, but he also looked ready to dash at a moments notice.

            Q asked Moneypenny to give them a moment and he approached James slowly. “James. You’re all right. No one here means you any harm, ” he said, hoping the tone of his voice would sooth the man where his words could not.

            James only grunted at him this time. Q was beginning to think the man was a bit culture shocked. He was the first human James had seen in twenty years, there was no evidence of anyone else having come that far into the jungle in recent years. To go from just Q to a whole hoard of newcomers… If Q was up on his sociobiology, James was probably feeling a bit territorial.

            “It’s all right, James. Why don’t you come eat with us?” Q took James’ hand in an effort to lead him to the center of camp where a fire was going. He tugged, but James didn’t budge. He didn’t even look at Q, his eyes focused straight ahead towards the camp.

            “Q,” he said, his voice quiet.

            Q frowned. “What’s wrong, James?”

            By the same hand Q had used to grab his, James pulled him in close. He caught Q in a tight embrace. Pressing his cheek to Q’s he inhaled and then all of a sudden he broke away. Before Q could call out, James was already darting back into the jungle.

            Q watched him leave, confused. His brow creased as he stared after the man, but he did not call out for him again. Lips thinned, he turned to walk back through the tall grass and into the camp.

            “Q?” Moneypenny, who had witnessed their embrace from the edge of camp, was looking at him with a curious expression etched across her face. “What was… that all about?” she asked, with emphasis as on the word ‘that’ as she gestured to the field between the camp and the jungle where Q and James had embraced.

            Q tried to laugh it off, but it came out sounding somber. “He’s just an oddly affectionate man.” He ran his hand over the back of his neck nervously. “I think it comes from the life he’s lived.”

            “Uh huh.” Moneypenny side eyed Q with a single raised brow.  “Well, I take it he won’t be helping us out.”

            Q cast an aching glance back towards the forest. “I guess not,” he murmured.

            “To bad, but thank god you’re back!” Moneypenny put a protective arm over Q’s slim shoulders. “Come and eat something, you must be starving.” She led Q over to the fire pit where a large pot of porridge was simmering over the warm embers that were left of that morning’s fire.

            Moneypenny disappeared into the large tent she shared with M, leaving Q to finish his breakfast with Silva and a few scattered mercenaries. By the way Silva was smirking at him, Q had to wonder what the man found so amusing. So, he asked.

            "Your monkey man embraces you like a little English lady, Q. Such an animal, I think he wants you for his mate." Silva teased with a wicked leer.

            Q sat, looking aghast at the blond man and blushing when the other mercenaries snorted out their laughter. Entertaining though he was, Silva was ever provoking him. Before Q could reply M exited her tent and intervened on his behalf.

            "That's quite enough out of you, mister Silva." She said low, her tone warning him off. Side eyeing the man, she wondered allowed, “Don’t you have a job I’m paying you to do?”

            Silva chuckled, placing his empty bowl with the others for washing. “Yes ma’am.” He stood.

            M watched him leave and then turned her attention back to Q. “Glad to have you back with us, Q,” she said then. There was more relief in her tone than it seemed she’d intended. It made Q smile.

            “I’m sorry I worried everyone, M. I won’t wonder off again,” he promised, while trying to put on his best and most innocent expression.

            M shot him an unimpressed look. “That’s all I can ask I suppose,” she sighed. “Let all just get to work, shall we. Lots to do today.” With that said, M began readying the equipment for another excursion up the mountain while barking orders at any of Silva’s men standing idle.

-o-

            They went about their workday as normal after that. For the first time, they properly spotted some of the wildlife they were looking for. It was a fortunate find. Along their walk a piece of half eaten fruit was thrown down at them and when they looked up there was a group of about fifty langur monkeys staring curiously down at them from the trees.

            Some of the more aggressive males were hooting at them. Others had already begun climbing down through branches. As the monkey’s approached, Silva and his men audibly tightened their grips on their rifles. Silva’s finger was already inching towards the trigger.

            “That will not be necessary. Thank you, mister Silva,” M whispered so as not to scare away the animals. She extended a hand, urging Silva to lower his gun and he hesitantly did so with a grunt. He motioned for his men to do the same.

            From that point on, M had the mercenaries stand at the edges of a clearing. The monkeys could still be observed in the next area over, but without being as intrusive. The males were a lot happier without a big group of outsiders in the middle of their territory.

            M set about observing some of the curious monkey behavior and showed Silva’s men where they could set live traps the next day. While she was doing that, Moneypenny was sketching pictures of some of the animals. She’d already started to notice and jot down some of the sexual dimorphism between the males and females. Q, for his part, was taking note on social structure and communication. He listened to the variety of vocalizations the creatures made, trying to make some sense of their purpose.

            Q sat apart from the rest of the team, nearer to the monkey’s territory. As he worked, one of the younger, more curious monkeys kept coming in close and poking him only to run away every time he turned. After a while, the little monkey gathered the courage to approach Q from the front. His presence distracted Q from the group of three females me was observing as they groomed.

            “Well, hello there.” Q smiled at the little one and received something like an excited laugh in return. The monkey came closer and grabbed at Q’s notebook, then his pen, but Q kept a firm grip on both.  The little creature seemed to pout unhappily up at Q.

            “Ah ah ah. Those are mine,” Q said in a teasing tone, much to the monkey’s apparent annoyance. The little guy huffed out through its nose and let go of Q’s pen. It crawled onto him, tugging at his shirt, then his scarf and finally his glasses.

            The monkey let out a happy cry as the glasses easily came free from behind Q’s ears. It pulled them off his face and hopped to the ground about a foot away to examine its newly acquired plaything. The glasses comically magnified parts of the monkey’s face as it peered through them, but Q was too overwrought to find this amusing.

            “Hey! No! Those are- arh!” Q grabbed for his glasses, but the little monkey was too fast. It jumped away from him, stopping a short distance away to continue playing with its new find.

            “Oh god! Don’t bend them like that!” Q lunged at the little guy again only for it to yelp and take off into the woods this time. “Monkey!” he shouted, running off after the creature into the woods.

            Q was chasing the monkey’s trail for about a minute, but he’d lost sight of the little guy as soon as their game had started. “Damn! Damn! Damn!” Q muttered to himself. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, trying to stop the headache brought on by his fuzzy vision.

            Turing around a tree, he let out a startled “Hmph!” noise as he ran into a blurry figure. He put his hands up and found himself touching a man’s bare chest. Q squinted up at him.

            “James is that you?” It was a silly question, really. Who else was running around through the jungle half naked?

            “Q,” the Wildman grunted.

            “Oh, thank god!” Q let out a relived sigh upon hearing the sound of James’ easily recognizable voice. “That blasted monkey ran off with my-“ Before Q could finish, he felt James placing something on his face. His vision righted itself and he blinked, touching the familiar frames. “Oh! My glasses!”

            “Glasses,” James repeated curtly.

            “You got them back!”

            James didn’t respond. Instead he pulled Q close and pressed his bearded chin to his temple, nuzzling gently. He seemed pleased to have been of some help.

            Q blushed. “Ah, yes… well… right, then,” he stuttered with an embarrassed smile.

            There was rustling in the bushes behind them. James sniffed the air and made a gruff noise deep in his chest. Without another word – not that he knew many – he released Q and dashed back into the undergrowth, disappearing from sight.

            Q took one step, moving to go after him, but he quickly realized he wouldn’t be able to keep up. “James!” he called out.

            “No. Sorry, Q, it is only me,” Silva said as he emerged from the bush behind him.

            Q glanced at Silva before turning back in the direction in which James had disappeared. He pursed his lips and let out a huffing sigh through his nose. _So much for never seeing him again_ , Q thought. Tilting his head to one side, he wondered when the man would next show up.

            Silva had stopped unnervingly close behind Q. “You know, M wasn’t very happy to see you running off again,” he murmured, touching Q’s shoulders.

            Q spun around. “Oh! God, I’m sorry.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “On of the monkeys stole my bloody glasses.” As he said this, Silva reached out and pulled his glasses off. The motion had Q jerking back and nearly hitting his head on the tree behind him.

            “Little monkey seems to have put your glasses back on upside down,” Silva said as he replaced Q’s glasses, this time right side up.

            “Oh, how embarrassing.” Q feigned a laugh. “I must have looked a fool. Thank you, mister Silva.”

            Silva shrugged it off and placed one hand on the tree next to Q’s head. “You know, Q… You English, you all seem so uptight.” His face split into a devilish grin. “I would love to help you with that.”

            Q froze for a startled second before letting out a hesitant laugh. “I assure you that will not be necessary, mister Silva.” He pressed himself more firmly against the tree, looking anywhere but at Silva. The man’s closeness was uncomfortable to say the least.

            Silva’s lips parted, the upturned corners suggesting that he had something lecherous to add, but all that came out was, “Ow!” He was suddenly backing off Q, looking around the forest with one hand pressed to the back of his head. Letting out a hiss, he checked his hand to make sure his head wasn’t bleeding. “Something just threw a rock at me! Damned animals.”

            Glad not to be cornered against the tree anymore, Q bit back a smile. He maneuvered away from Silva slightly. “We’d better be getting back.”

            Silva led the way, cursing under his breath as he walked.

            The rest of their survey went without a hitch. It was late in the afternoon when, M and Moneypenny decided, tentatively it was time to leave. They packed up and started on their long walk back to the base camp. They would return soon to set traps and later to check them.

            “What a find,” Moneypenny murmured as she walked next to Q, hardly looking up from her notebook. She was still writing away and adding detail to her sketches of the monkeys. Q couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm.

            They celebrated with a roast dinner; one of Silva’s men had hunted and shot a boar so they truly did have a great feast. M was vocal in her distain at the fact that Silva’s men had been hunting at all, never mind when they were meant to be protecting their base camp. However, once she smelled their night’s meal she seemed to accept that there was nothing to be done about it now except enjoy.

-o-

            After the dinner, Q went back into the tent he shared with Silva’s man Patrice. He pressed his head back into his pillow, sighing as he tried to sleep through both the sounds of the man’s snoring and the animals outside. Q thought he heard a rustling outside the tent, but with all the noise he could have just be hearing things until one of those noises was very distinctively a voice.

            “Q?”

            Q sat up abruptly. “Jam-“ James’ hand over his mouth silenced him. That same hand pushed him back down onto his pillow.

            James glared at Patrice; seemingly worried the man would wake up. There was something dark in his eyes, like the sleeping man was encroaching on his territory. Q was concerned about that look. He took James’ face in his hands and forced the man to focus on him.

            “It’s all right,” Q whispered, touching the Wildman’s haired cheek. “He’s only sleeping.”

            James was soothed by Q’s tone, but still a bit wary. He lay down in a position that gave him clear sight of Patrice and pulled Q into his arms, blanket and all. He pressed his face into the crown of Q’s head and closed his eyes.

            Q guessed he’d been missed. He pressed his face into James’ chest and smiled to himself. Somewhere in the back of his mind this was wrong, frowned upon if not illegal, but being so far from the supposedly civilized world, Q couldn’t be bothered to care. Soon he too drifted off to sleep.

            Their peaceful night ended and awoke to a ruckus of a morning. Having had the best sleep since their trip began, Q was woken from deep slumber by shouts and a struggle. He looked over and saw James, straddling Patrice’s chest, growling at the man, his arm pressed to Patrice’s throat.

            Wide awake now, Q let out a gasp. “James!” he shouted.

            James loosened his hold on Patrice but didn’t let up. He held the man under him with strong hands pressed to his shoulders. “Q?”

            “What the fuck?” Patrice choked out, once he got some air in his lungs again.

            Q leaned forward to touch James’ arm. “James,” he said in a calming voice before turning to Silva’s man. “Patrice, what happened?”

            “This fucking tramp got into our tent. I was trying to wake you so we could get him out and he fucking attacked me,” Patrice spat, glaring up at James who shot him an equally narrow stare.

            “All right, let’s just calm down,” Q breathed, still urging James to stand down.

            Patrice scoffed. “That’s easy for you to say! You’re not the one with the fucking Ape Man on your chest.”

            Q let out a sigh. “James,” he tried again in his most authoritative tone.

            James turned his head to Q. With one final growl down at Patrice, he got off the man. With a wary hesitance, he wandered on all fours back over to where Q was now sitting up on his bedroll. James sat behind him and pulled Q into his arms, still glaring at Patrice even as he pressed his nose into the crook of Q’s neck.

            “This is fucked,” Patrice murmured, shaking his head.

            Outside their tent, there were heavy footsteps. The flap was thrown open and Silva walked in, wide-eyed and fuming. “What is going on here?” he demanded, as he looked between the three of them.

            “The boy’s Ape Man has returned.” Patrice nodded over at James.

            “Thank you, Patrice.” Silva rolled his eyes. “I can see that.”

            James was pointedly growling at Silva. His embrace around Q grew tighter. He pulled Q towards himself possessively.

            “He doesn’t mean any harm.” Q said with a smile. He patted one of James’ arms gently to reassure the Wildman.

            “Huh.” Silva huffed, raising a pale brow. “I do believe M will want to have a word when you’re up.” He smirked at Q then spun around and left the tent.

            “Sounds like trouble,” Patrice chuckled. With a sigh, he flopped back down onto his sleeping roll and put his pillow over his face in hopes of getting a few more minutes of shuteye.

            Q looked to James over his shoulder as the man rumbled miserably. He pursed his lips as he thought about both Silva and Patrice’s words. They really didn’t have much to go around. What if M wouldn’t let him stay?

-o-

            “Mister Silva tells me we have a guest,” M murmured, eyeing Q over the rim of his teacup. “Care to introduce your friend, Q?”

            “Is that your Wildman from before, Q!” Moneypenny asked, pointing her teaspoon towards James.

            “Yes, actually.” Q ushered James forward from where he was standing a few feet away from everyone else at the center of the camp. He seemed hesitant to come forward. “His name is James.”

            M slowly placed her cup back on its saucer and stood. She approached James, managing to stare him down despite her smaller stature. “James.”

            At hearing his name, James smirked down at M.

            She outstretched a hand and – as usual – introduced herself as simply, “M.”

            James looked at her hand then over to Q. He blinked, but apart from that no expression crossed his face. “Q?”

            Q sighed. “Q,” he said, pointing to himself. “James.” He pointed to James. “M.” Finally, he reintroduced M more clearly. Q then took James’ hand and placed it in M’s and moved them up and down. “Handshake.”

            James turned his head back to the older woman then and gave her a nod while he shook her hand. “M.”

            “Well, was that an adventure,” M said sardonically, dropping James’ hand.

            “James saved me and brought me back to camp when I got lost in the forest,” Q explained.

            M’s eyes narrowed slightly. “An event that never would have happened had you not gone wondering off in the first place,” she noted wearily.

            “Yes, but I think he could be of use to us!” Q added quickly. “Moneypenny was saying there’s a lot he could tell us, if I can help him learn to speak and…”

            M stopped him right there. “Q, are you asking if this man can stay?” she asked.

            “I- well, yes?” Q found himself feeling flushed all of a sudden.

            M’s brow drew into a skeptical expression. “We don’t even know anything about him.”

            “I do! I do actually,” Q exclaimed, cutting M off. He rushed to grab his pack where he’d left it just inside his tent and reached in side to pull out the framed picture he’d taken from James’ cave. “This is James and his father. Taken at their camp in 1855, that’s around twenty years he’s been here,” he described, pointing at the two figures in it.

            M took the frame from Q. After diligently analyzing the image from the front, she flipped the thing over and plucked up the pieces of metal holding the thing together. With the old frame dismantled, M was able to pull out the photograph. She flipped it over to the white side hoping there would be more information about where it was taken, but there wasn’t much written on it apart from two names.

            “Andrew Bond and son, James,” M read out, before flipping the picture back over. “Andrew Bond,” she repeated more to herself than to anyone else.

            Q cocked his head to the side. “Do you recognize the name?”

            “Yes. In fact, I do believe I know how our James got to be here,” M replied as she deftly reframed the picture. “This man and his entire trope went missing during their excursion twenty years ago in this same part of India.” She let out a huff. “Made it difficult to convince our investors that the same thing wouldn’t happen to us, I should say.”

            “So James has been out here all this time. And it’s only been twenty years his mother may still be alive back in England,” Q noted staring hopefully up at M.

            “Mm, moved back to France actually, after Andrew and her son went missing.” M briefly rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Needless to say his mother would be overjoyed to see him.”

            “Mother?” James seemed to understand the word. He frowned, possibly at the memory that accompanied the word.

            “We should send her word,” Q said with a curt nod. “James is the victim of the great misfortune that befell his father’s troop. It really wouldn’t be right to just leave him.”

            M let out a sigh. “All right, he may stay, but you’ll be the one explaining to Silva’s men why their rations have been cut.” M placed her hands on her hips and announced loudly to anyone who was listening. “We still have another two months before we go to the city to resupply! If we don’t have something show mister Mallory none of us are getting paid!”

            M placed her hands on her hips as the entire camp seemed to leap into action. She turned back to Q with a frown. “Do something about your man’s hair.”

            “Ah…” Q looked up at James.

            James frowned down at him. Though the man obviously didn’t understand, there was definite worry in his eyes.

-o-

            "Q!" James shouted, ducking under Q's hands. He was straining his neck, trying to look over his shoulder at Q behind him.

            "Just, please – James! – Just stay still!" Q pulled the man crouching man back between his legs. James was sitting on the ground in front of the fire while Q sat behind him on a log, trying his damnedest to groom the man. Apparently, no one wanted to have anything to do with James while he was going around looking like a tramp.

            "It's just a haircut, don't be such a baby," Q huffed. He snipped away at the hair on James head and trimmed his beard down as much as he could with scissors. 

James trusted Q enough to let him, but he was obviously not happy about it.

            "There we go," Q said as he combed his fingers though James surprisingly soft blond hair. It was clean now thanks to some soap, water and extremely vigorous scrubbing. Q ran his fingers from James' hair to his still bearded face. "Now you just need a shave."

            "Shave," James repeated, seeming bored. He picked up Q’s scissors from where he’d put them down. James looked at them, impressed with the tool.

            “Scissors,” Q said, naming the instrument for him.

            James repeated the word to himself as he continued to examine the instrument.

            Q hummed affirmatively. He stood to brush hair off of himself. There was a pot of tea simmering nearby over the remnants of the morning fire. He made himself a cup and offered a sip to James, but the man spat it out the minute it touched his tongue.

            "Arg!"

            Q looked worriedly down at the cup. "Too hot?"

            James made a disgusted face and passed the cup back to Q. With a tiny smirk, Q took it. He felt he could safely assume James would be sticking to water.

            Q was just getting James something to drink when Silva came up behind him then. The man was holding a cup and saucer sipping his tea in an effete manner, pinky out and all. "Mm, he cleans up well, doesn’t he," he said, placing the cup on its saucer and picking up the kettle to refill it.

            Q finally finished snipping at James’ hair. He couldn’t help but giggle at how odd the man looked with short boyishly cut hair and his shorter but still natty beard attached.

            "Silva,” Q said in a voice that heavily suggested he wanted something, “I've cut his hair, but could you shave him?"

            "Mm, he didn't seem to like being fussed over very much though, did he?" Silva quirked his brow looking for Q to give him a reason to do him the small favor.

            "He’s calmed down now that he’s gotten used to it.” Q held out the straight razor. “Please, mister Silva. I’m afraid I’m not very good at it." His eyes widened as he put on a suppliant expression.

            Silva leered down at him. Delicately, he plucked the blade from Q's fingers. "I imagine you have very little practice shaving, don't you Q." As he spoke, Silva reached out to run the backs of his fingers over Q's smooth cheek. The way Q startled away from his touch made him chuckle. "I would be delighted to shave your monkey man for you."

            The eerie charm in Silva's tone was enough to make Q grimace.

-o-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little 00Silva for you all next time~ :P


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains unrealistically fast language acquisition, but technically he did have ten years experience… so meh  
> …  
> There is also porn. Enjoy~!

-o-

            “Are you going to be this jumpy the entire time?” Silva demanded with a short tut. James kept touching his own face as Silva tried to smooth the shaving cream over his cheeks with his brush. He got his answer when James jerked away.

            The Wildman grabbed Silva’s wrist as he pressed the razor blade to his throat to start shaving. James pulled the hand away to get a better view of the blade. He then growled at the obviously dangerous implement.

            “Right,” Silva sighed. “Do try and sit still, darling.” With his other hand, he ran his fingers through James’ hair in an effort to calm him.

            James let go of Silva’s wrist and tilted his head up like the man needed, but he kept his eyes squarely on Silva’s the entire time. He didn’t break his gaze, even as Silva looked towards the task at hand. Silva lips pursed and he decided where to start. As shaved away the first strip of James’ beard he was fairly sure the Wildman didn’t blink once.

            The glide of the blade over the skin was a simple matter of precision and angle. With that in mind, it was easy enough not to cut yourself with practice. It was harder shaving someone else, but Silva fared rather. James should have been thankful to him. Thankful that Q wasn’t giving this a whirl.

            “Almost done, monkey man,” Silva murmured after a while. He held James’ cheek on one side while shaving the other, his thumb caressing the man’s prominent cheekbone in small gentle circles before sliding down over the freshly shaved skin there. Silva let out a pleasured hum, enjoying the feel of the man’s slight bristle at his fingertips. James didn’t seem to have any qualms over this.

            Once finished the shave, Silva wiped off James’ face, massaging his skin as he went over it with a towel wet with the warm water from the kettle outside. At that point James finally broke his intense stare to close his eyes and let out a quiet groan.

            Silva smirked. “Feels nice, doesn’t it.”

            “Nice,” James repeated, ostensibly agreeing.

            With a chuckle, Silva quickly used the same cloth to wipe of the razor before placing it to one side on the tray with the brush and shaving cream. Also on that tray, there was a bottle of aftershave. While James was busy running his hands over his face and hair with a baffled expression, Silva opened the bottle and shook a few dollops of the perfumed liquid into his palm. He rubbed his hands together, spreading it out before he leaned forward to apply it to James’ cheeks. His hands were and inch from James’ face when the Wildman jerked back.

            James covered his nose and growled. Any of the calm from before was torn from his face and he glared at Silva while trying to cover his nose with one arm.

            Silva tilted his head slightly to one side. “You don’t like the smell?”

            James let out a disgusted noise and spat. He was making faces like he’d just been forced to drink off milk. Silva could admit, the smell was a bit strong, but then again James was a bit smelly.

            “All right!” Silva said, raising his hands to yield. He picked up the towel to wipe them off. “If you want to go on smelling like a wet dog you go right ahead. No smell.” Silva put the bottle of aftershave back onto the shaving tray.

            “No smell,” James agreed. He let out a huff, but generally calmed down. His petulant gaze made Silva chuckle.

            “Mm, “ Silva hummed again. With James appeased, Silva was able to leaned towards him ran his fingers up the Wildman’s neck and over the smooth skin of his cheeks with the pretense of making sure James was cleanly shaven. “That’s better isn’t it?”

            James didn't struggle as Silva ran his hands over freshly shaved skin, but there was a hint of confusion in his eyes. He frowned as Silva traced his fingers up his neck and along his angular jawline. There was a look in his eyes that seemed to suggest he was contemplating jerking his head away, but he remained stoic.

            Silva gripped James’ chin in one hand and turned his head from side to side. "You're a piece of work aren't you, monkey man,” he murmured, more to himself than to James. Upon receiving another frown from the Wildman, Silva sighed and patted his cheek gently.

            “Let us get you back to your boy, shall we.”

-o-

            “Well would you look at you,” Moneypenny said as James and Silva exited the man’s tent.

            “Do you like it? The shirt works with the suit, but the scarf may be a bit much,” Silva said, as he patted the kerchief tied around his neck.

            Moneypenny rolled her eyes. “Not you.” She took James cheeks in her hands. The Wildman was fairly docile after being handled similarly all day.

            As Moneypenny checked to make sure Silva had done a good job, James seemed bored if anything. Silva had not only shaved him, but given him some proper clothes as well. They were plain clothes, slacks and a loose fitted shirt borrowed from one of the Spaniards.

            Seemingly satisfied with Silva’s work, Moneypenny placed her hands on her hips and smiled. “Handsome devil,” she said.

            Silva was about to protest Moneypenny’s need to verify his work when he spotted Q on the other side of the camp. With a wide and slightly unnerving smile, he called out to the young man,  “Q! I have finished with your monkey.”

            With a happily surprised expression, Q put down what he was doing and made his way towards them. “James!” he cried out, upon seeing the man.

            “Q.” James came towards Q, looking relieved to see him again.

            “Nice and clean!” Q touched James’ smooth cheeks. “Don’t you feel so much better?”

            “No.”

            Behind them, Silva snorted. “Poor boy,” he said with an exaggerated simper.

            They all laughed. Despite James’ opinion of himself, he looked a lot better without all the hair. With the beard gone, the proud, angular shape of his jaw was visible and with his hair cut, well, he looked less like a tramp too poor to even buy himself a trim and more like a… university student who didn’t have time for a regular one. James’ sharp features were no longer hidden and his eyes shone blue like the ocean they’d left behind weeks ago. There was no denying that he was a handsome devil, as Moneypenny said. When they returned to civilizations he could easily pass for a man of breeding.

            Q suggested this, but it was met with amused stares from everyone apart from James who didn’t understand.

            “If a man of breeding was judged by looks alone, give him a suit and I would agree,” Moneypenny said. “But James’ ability to be a productive member of English society will be judged on a lot more than his haircut, Q.”

            “Well,” Q started slow, his lips pursed in thought. He looked at James, contemplating the man while he stared right back at Q with an entirely different eye that made the boy blush. “I suppose we’ll start by teaching him to speak English.”

            Silva sniggered. “Good luck with that,” he muttered. “Took me forever to learn English! And I people still don’t understand me half the time,” he muttered as he wandered away from the group and back towards his own men.

            Moneypenny patted Q’s shoulder. “Don’t let Silva discourage you, darling. James’ knowledge is just buried. He was ten years old when he first came here; he just needs a refresher course. He’ll learn fast.”

            And so the lessons began right away. There was a little less than two months until they were to head towards the nearby city to visit one of their investors; M informed Q that she wanted James to be able to impress the man. She saw James’ education as important, so much so that she allowed Q to teach the Wildman for as long as she could spare him during the week. Q and James joined them on excursions every other day and the rest of their time was spent practicing. Patrice had moved into Silva’s tent, leaving James and Q in one tent that they converted into something like a classroom during the day.

            Moneypenny was right in her assumption that James would be a quick study. He picked up noun and functional phrases like ‘good morning’ and ‘thank you’ with such speed, by the end of his first week of lessons they were already beginning to discuss verb tenses. Q could ask James what they did the day before and receive a perfectly grammatical answer.

            “Yesterday, we went out into the Jungle,” James said slowly, but in a clear, deep voice.

            “Yes,” Q replied with a smile. “And what will we do tomorrow?”

            “Tomorrow, you and I will go to my home?” James said with a request in his tone.

            “Maybe not tomorrow,” Q replied with a laugh. “Soon.”

            James understood, and gave a curt nod. He’d stopped grunting and growling, unless Silva was present. James seemed to take on a lot of his old ways when Silva came around. The man seemed to trigger that behavior in him, and Q just couldn’t figure out why until one day Silva was left to guard the camp while the others went on their excursion.

            It was drizzling outside and the air was hot and humid. They’d taken to sitting in a one of the larger tents where breakfast was had on rainier days. James was having a hard time with his pronunciation that afternoon. Q was sitting across from him repeating the word, trying to help him enunciate.

            Watching them from his place seated on a box in the corner was Silva. He was sharpening a machete, shaking his head as he listened in on their lesson. On James’ third try at the sound, Silva let out a laugh. “Useless,” he said under his breath.

            Q turned and frowned at the man. “How is he supposed to learn if you’re constantly mocking him?” he snapped.

            Silva rolled his eyes and continued sharpening his knife. “Fucking, monkey man.”

            The words were said in a whisper, but Q could still hear them. He looked at James to gage his reaction to the insults, but his face was a mask. Only his eyes betrayed any feeling as he glared daggers at Silva.

            “I will continue on alone,” Q said, turning back to the man in the corner. “Please leave us, mister Silva.”

            “I will not,” Silva scoffed. “Why should I have to go out in the rain? The stupid Wildman isn’t going to learn better either way.”

            “Mister Silva,” Q repeated in a stern tone. “I will not have you sitting around slandering James while he doesn't yet have the skill to verbally defend himself.”

            Silva let out an annoyed huff. "He’s never going to learn anything, why do you waste your time, Q? He is a monkey man, we shouldn’t have to treat him like he's people?”

            Q shook his head with disbelief. “James is a British citizen and has the potential to be a fine gentleman if we give him the time and, as I said before, I will not have you insulting him as you are, Silva.”

            “Whatever. Look here,” Silva stood and reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small piece of plastic, something M had given him to tag any creature he killed. “I even have a number for him like all the other animals we have found. Congratulations, you are specimen Double-O-Seven,” Silva read out, holding up the label with the numbers 007 written on it in large black font. He held it out to Q with a sneer. “There’s your animal.”

            “Silva! That’s enough!” Q shouted.

            James was already up from his seat. Under the impression that the thin piece of card pointed at Q was a weapon of some sort, he snatched the label from Silva. Standing tall so they were eye to eye, James looked the other man right in his face. His blue eyes narrowed into a sharp glare.

            Silva smirked. He got so close their noses were practically pressed together. James didn’t back down.

            “Cute,” Silva said simply. With a derisive snort he turned to leave the tent.

            Q tried to take the tag from James to put it away somewhere, but the Wildman wouldn’t release it.

            “James?”

            James didn’t answer, but he held the number steadfast.

-o-

            "What is cute," James asked as he played with the tag he’d taken from Silva. Silva wasn’t to know, because James didn’t speak much in front of him, but James’ English was actually coming along quickly and extremely well.

            “Cute,” Q repeated slowly, thinking of a way to explain. He opened one of his picture dictionaries and smiled upon finding the word’s write up. Q showed James the picture there of an elderly woman pinching the plump red cheeks of a tiny baby. “Cute means attractive, but in a innocent sort of way.” Q handed over the book. “Baby monkey’s are cute.”

            James looked over the image. He seemed to grasp the word’s meaning, but snorted, heavily disagreeing with Q’s statement. “Monkeys,” he spat.

            Q smiled. “Wolf pups are cute,” he tried again. He bit back a smile as he waited to see if James found this new statement acceptable.

            James looked up to the sky as he thought about this. “Yes,” he murmured, “but they get big fast.” He spoke as if he was talking about his own siblings; it made Q smile because, well, to James that’s exactly how it was.

            "Q… te.” James said to himself after a while. With a smirk, he leaned up and pinched Q’s cheek like the woman was doing to the baby in his picture. “Q’ute."

            "No. I'm not..." Q sighed. There was very little point in trying to argue, especially with the wide smile on James face.

            James leaned into him pressing his nose into Q’s cheek. “Q’ute.”

            The two cuddled under the star lit sky for a long while. Enjoying a companionable silence, only the sounds of the jungle and the pitter-patter of raindrops on huge leaves. They would have to move apart soon lest someone come to check on them, Q knew.

            Then James asked, “Silva said, ‘cute’.” He seemed confused. “He did not mean it in the way you said.”

            “No, that’s more…” Q paused, thinking of how to explain. “It’s called sarcasm.”

            “Sarcasm?” James frowned at the new word. He repeated it under his breath a few times, but Q could tell it was a hard one.

            “Usually, when sarcasm is used, you say one thing but you mean the opposite.”

            James nodded. “Sarcasm,” he repeated once more.

            James spent the rest that week mastering sarcasm.

            “You look well this morning, M,” he said with a smirk as a weary M exited her tent one morning. His grin only widened when M glared at him.

            “Thank you, James,” M replied in the exact same tone. “Do let Q know I rue the day I allowed him to start teaching you English.”

            “Yes, ma’am.”

-o-

            Another month went by and M started discussing how they were going to present their findings to their investor. Mister Gregory Mallory was an old war hero. He’d taken up residence in India and acted as the administrator over a small city and British army barracks. His division to invest in M and her team was mostly down to curiosity about the land that he now called home. M decided James could be a key part of their presentation. He was truly a great find – a man who had lived in this seemingly uninhabitable land for most of his life.

            “When you go to the city, how long will you leave me for?” James asked, sullenly. M and Moneypenny couldn’t help but smirk at the fact that, though they would all be leaving, James’ words were directed solely towards Q.

            “We’ll take you with us, of course,” Moneypenny said before Q could answer.

            “To the city?” James seemed skeptical.

            “Of course, to the city!” Q laughed at that. “It will be amazing, trust me.”

            James neither agreed nor disagreed. “Hn,” was the only sound he made.

            “Though I must say, M, he’s not a thing to be presented,” Q said, reminding her of that fact warily. “I don’t want him to be brought before Mister Mallory like some sort of exotic find.”

            “Oh hush!” M said, offended by Q’s assertion. “It won’t be anything of the sort.”

            “I don’t mind,” James murmured. He looked over at Q, with content blue eyes. “I want to help.”

            “See, Q. He wants to help.” M nodded her thanks to James.

            “Well,” Q pouted. “James, you still have some things to learn. I don’t want you to put you in an… uncomfortable situation.”

            “Oh pish!” Moneypenny waved the idea aside. “I think he’s beginning to sounds like the ideal Englishman.”

            “Ideal Englishman.” Behind them, Silva snorted. “You hear that Double-O-Seven.”

            James shot the Spaniard a stoic gaze over one shoulder. “No, you may have to repeat it for me.”

            Silva huffed. Crossing his arms over his chest, he didn’t respond. Instead, he wandered away, muttering under his breath in Spanish.

            Q had to bite back a smile. He leaned closer to James, and gave him a curt nod well done.

            M finished the briefing and dismissed them moments later. James pulled Q aside between tents, his hand secure around the younger man’s waist. The Wildman had learned many things about how to act in polite society, but all the personal space etiquette didn’t seem to stick when it came to he and Q.

            “Q,” James started. “I need to go back to my home.”

            Q grabbed his wrist even though he hadn’t made to leave just yet. His brow arched and his eyes grew saw behind his glasses. “What? You’re leaving? Why so suddenly?”

            “I will be back.” James grinned and took a step closer to Q. “Or Q can come with me,” he suggested as he pressed his face into Q’s shoulder.

            Q looked around nervously. Over the past few weeks everyone at the camp had developed a pretty good idea of how close he and James were, but that didn’t stop Q from feeling anxious to be seen being ‘ _with’_ another man by others. No one quite knew exactly how close close was.

            Seeing no one around, Q turned back to James. “I’ll have to ask M… and she’ll want us back at camp before nightfall.”

            James’ hummed with delight. “We will go tomorrow, you can teach me more while be walk.” As James spoke his hot breath tickled Q’s neck, making him shiver.

            Q let out a short sigh and he nodded. “Agreed."

-o-

            The next day’s events leading up to Q and James’ departure were just like those on any other day. The only difference was instead of leaving with the team to scope out the mountain, the two of them went in the opposite direction towards the cave. Though he had been living at the camp for several weeks, James was still able to navigate his way through the jungle with easy. They arrived at the ravine and finally the waterfall in no time.

            They passed the wolf pack heading towards the cave. None of the wolves even so much as shoot Q a second glance this time around. It seemed his presence didn’t alarm them anymore; a few cubs even sprinted over to pounce around his feet.

            “Cute.” James noted, with a little smile.

            Upon entering the cave James set Q about rummaging through a few old, salvaged suitcases and crates. James himself disappeared further back into the James where no light from the outside could touch.      

            “James?”

            “Changing,” came James’ curt reply from the darkness.

            “Changing? Into what?”

            Seconds later Q got his answer when James emerged from the darkness. James had stripped off the plain clothes borrowed from one of Silva’s men and was now wearing a classy, but dated officer’s uniform - a white ensemble was complete with numerous gold adornments. It fit him perfectly, clinging to his well-developed muscles in all the right places. Needless to say, James was dressed in a manner that looked more than a little out of place in the middle of the jungle.

            “Oh!” Q tried not to gawk, but he couldn’t help himself. “Look at you!”

            James looked down at the white uniform. “It’s the same,” he said. His words rang true; the suit was in remarkably good condition. It turned out James had been keeping it in its case in the dry back of the cave. “It was my father’s. Should I wear it to the city?” he asked.

            Q approached and placed his hands on the front of the coat. With a gentle pressure he smoothed out some of the tiny wrinkles in the fabric. “I think that’s a perfectly marvelous idea, James.”

            With a smile, Q took James face in his hands. “Clean shave and a new suit.”

            James hummed happily. Suddenly, his hands came up to rest on Q’s thin hips. “No one is here,” he murmured.

            Q looked down at his feet, to hide a blush. “Is that why you brought me all they way out here with you?” he asked.

            James touched Q’s chin and their eyes met again. He smirked, but leaned forward to hide it in Q’s neck. His grip around Q’s hips tightened as he pulled the younger man in closer.

            Q wrapped his arms around James’ neck. He sighed as he heard the Wildman’s customary intake of breath. “James,” he whispered breathlessly.

            James withdrew slowly. He pressed his forehead Q’s. His breath was coming in soft huffs. His hands slid up over Q’s back and then slowly down only stopping just above the curve of Q’s rear.

            James whispered Q’s name against his lips just as Q leaned up for a kiss. Q moaned into it while James let out a surprised noise of his own. The sound made Q break away. When he saw the confused look on James’ face, he realized they hadn’t kissed since that bewildering night when they first met.

            “What is that?” James stared at Q with confusion and curiosity in his eyes. “You have done that before.”

            “Kissing, yes,” Q whispered, keen to get back into it.

            James’ fingers came up to trace over Q’s lips. He hummed before leaning forward to again press their lips together. As their lips moves together heatedly, James decided he liked kissing Q. Pulling the younger man in close, he lowered himself and Q down onto the furs in the corner.

            The intensity of their kiss increased until Q was panting against James’ lips. As they lay down, he spread his legs slightly allowing the Wildman the perfect space to fit between them. The weight of James’ larger body over him gave his entire body a thrill. It was all incredibly… exciting.

            “Q,” James breathed.

            Biting his lip, Q let one arm that had been twined around James’ neck drop down. He smoothed his hand over the man’s chest, feeling his hard muscle rippling even through the thick fabric of the uniform. Q’s fingers moved lower until he reached James’ lower abdomen and the edge of his trousers. Deftly, Q delved past the waistline and dipped down inside.

            James let out a hiss. The pleasure must have caught him off guard because with a heavy grunt he dropped his head to Q’s shoulder and rolled his hips against the pressure of that hand. His arms were practically shaking with the effort it took to hold himself up so he didn’t crush the smaller man beneath him.

            Q removed his hand from James trousers after getting a good feel of the man, but only so they could both strip out of their clothes. Q was quick about it, his simple attire aiding their purpose. James, on the other hand, was struggling with the buttons and clasps holding his formal wear together. Q couldn’t help but let out a little laugh as James growled at his coat until it finally came open.

            The Wildman barely had his pants down to his knees before he was on Q again kissing him with a ferocity Q had never experience. James ran his fingers along the pale length of Q’s torso, smirking at the sounds he was forcing out of the younger man. There was a strangled ‘ah!’ from Q as James’ hands reached beneath his body to squeeze the rounded cheeks of his ass. The resulting stutter of Q’s hips brought their turgid lengths together.

            “We haven’t gone over… this sort of… thing in your lessons,” Q gasped out.

            James’ only reply was an amused grunt. He reverted back to his wild self, all hands and few words, if any. In one large hand he took both of their cocks and stroked them together between their bodies. The sensation of that first stroke ripped a deep growl from his chest.

            “Yes!” Q screamed. His back arched and his legs tightened around James’ hips. He reached out, with the intention of pulling James closer, but his fingers ended up twining with the furs behind him. He thrust up into James hand, enraptured by what the man above him was doing to his body.

            James grunted with pleasure and lust at the sight of Q stretched out before him. He pressed his face to Q’s chest and breathed deep the distinct scent of lover. His mouth opened around one of Q’s nipples, moistening the hard nub with heated breaths.

            After a few slow strokes, James seemed to loose patients. He started to thrust, almost like an animal, against Q and into his own hand. His other hand left Q’s hip and he leaned over Q. He held himself up on one elbow while his hand fisted in the younger man’s sweat-dampened hair.

            Q’s arms were twining around James’ back once more, his nails digging into the Wildman’s thick skin. He didn’t hold back and a scream issued from his lips as he reached his climax. James pulled Q up into his lap as he came down and didn’t stop stroking their cocks. The groan he let out as he came sent a thrill through Q and he leaned forward, catching the Wildman’s lips in a gentle kiss.

            James let out a satisfied hum against Q’s lips and whispered his name as their kiss broke. He held Q in his lap for a long while, running his hands over the slight man’s skin and inhaling his scent. After a while James lay them both back down against the furs, rolling onto his back so that Q could rest, sticky but satiated, on his chest.

            “We still mustn’t do this back at camp, James,” Q murmured somberly, as he absently traced little patterns on the Wildman’s chest. He didn’t want to spoil the mood, but it had to be said. There were many things M could look past, however Q feared that his budding relationship with James was not one of them.

            “I know. You have said before.” James sighed and shook his head. He would comply, but he didn’t seem too happy about it. “I do not understand why.”

            Q pursed his lips in thought. “Well, back home… in England it’s frowned upon to… be with another man like this,” he explained as softly as he could.

            “England,” James sneered. “They are wrong.”

            Q smiled. “Be that as it may, we should be mindful of others.”

             “But Silva and his, they are not from England.”

            “No, they’re from Spain, but all the same. We need to be careful.” Q touched James’ cheek. “I want this to last.”

            “Last? I don’t understand,” James said with a frown.

            Q sighed. “It doesn’t matter.” He lay his head down with his cheek pressed against the Wildman’s chest. It was still the early afternoon and they had a while before they needed to return to camp. For now, they could enjoy this private, blissful moment together.

-o-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uni has started up again. Blegh. Hopefully I can finish this before schoolwork starts digging away at my time.  
> As always, thank you for your kind words and kudos! :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Upping the rating from M to E because HERE THERE BE SMUT!

-o-

            Hardly an hour later they were preparing to head back to camp. James was securing his baggage together so it could be more easily carried while Q was neatly packing away the rest of his belongings. As he worked, Q stumbled upon an intriguing find among the debris at the back of the cave.

            “James… what is this?” Q asked as he turned to James. In his hands he was holding a pistol. The object was for decorative purposes rather than actual use, which was plain to see. It was ornate, covered in intricately etched and sculpted swirling designs. Most astonishingly, the entire thing was made of or at least coated with gold.

            “A gun,” James said straightforwardly. He replied as he would when Q asked him an English language question when they were in student/teacher mode.

            “No. I mean,” Q paused, looking over the weapon with a sort of awe. “What’s it doing here? It looks extremely valuable.”

            James shrugged. “I found it.”

            Q bit back a laugh. “Of course, well, would you like to take it along with us? It would be a nice sidearm to wear with your suit,” he suggested.

            There was a pause as James eyed the weapon. After a while he grunted. “Sure,” he said with a nonchalance that told Q he definitely hadn’t yet grasped any concept of monetary value.

            “Right then,” Q laughed. “I’ll pack it, shall I?”

            “If you must.”

            They left the cave but only began their long walk back to camp a few minutes later because, as they left, James had to say his farewells to his lupine family.

            The Wildman knelt down and wrapped his arms around the pack mother’s neck, burring his face in her fur. The pack Alpha seemed to expect a similar gesture from Q. The big wolf nudged him with his nose, but all Q could muster giving it was a short pat on the head and a shaky, “Nice doggie”. The Alpha let out a satisfied huff and backed off, leaving space for the tiny pups to scurry around Q’s feet while he waited for James to finish saying his goodbyes.

            James stood and hoisted a bag over his shoulder. As he returned to Q’s side, he growled playfully at the cubs that were yipping up at Q in effort to gain his attention. When they saw James, they scampered away back to their mother.

            “Ready?” Q asked.

            With a final look over his shoulder to the Wolf pack watching them leave, James nodded. “Let’s go.”

-o-

            Once they got back to the camp, Q started unpacking what they’d salvaged from James’ old home. Even though they would be leaving in just a few days, he felt it would be easier to pack James’ things with his own. Some of the natty sacs they’d transported it all back in had nearly fallen apart during their walk.

            As he was unpacking, Q came upon the golden gun he’d tucked away again. He had to pause for a moment, just to marvel once more at the craftsmanship that had gone into creating the piece. It was more a work of art than a weapon, really. It was loaded, but who ever had once owned it hadn’t kept it for fighting. No. This gun was a statement, not just some tool.

            “What do you have there, Q?”

            Q jumped as he was pulled out of his reverie by the sound of Silva’s voice. The man had snuck up behind him and was now staring over his shoulder at the weapon in his hands. Q almost felt as though he should hide it from the man, but he simply tightened his grip ever so slightly.

            “James found it, that’s all I know,” he replied curtly with a shrug.

            Silva’s eyes left the gun and immediately scanned the camp looking for James. When he didn’t spot the Wildman, he frowned.

            “Huh,” he huffed. “Well, It’s a very nice piece, Q. I’d hold on to that. You never know who might be coveting your things.” Silva cracked a sinister smile.

            Q rolled his eyes at that barely veiled threat. “Like I said, it’s not mine, it belongs to James.”

            Silva waved him off. “All the same.” He winked at Q and then he turned to walk back towards his tent.

-o-

            They woke early the next morning. After two months living in the clearing they were finally packing up their tents and supplies, and saddling their horses, ready to begin the next part of their journey. Travel to the city was thankfully uneventful. They only had one scare in the night. Sleeping under the forest canopy because they didn’t want to set up complicated tents one night, a panther attacked one of Silva’s men who was on watch. The beast was easily frightened off with a gunshot and the man’s wounds hadn’t been too severe, but everyone had trouble sleeping that night.

            After two days trek through the forest they reached the shining white walls of the city. They were greeted at the gates by a small convoy of British soldiers and one mister Gregory Mallory. The middle-aged man had a subtle smile on his face. He waved and called out, “Good evening! You’re right on time!”

            “Mallory, wonderful to see you again,” M said as she approached. The two of them shook hands.

            With a wave Mallory ushered his men to help Silva’s. They did as they were ordered, with odd looks on their faces. Silva was smirking, and whispered something to Patrice and the two of them sneered disparagingly at the Brits. They all walked together through the city gates and up the stone paved streets towards the British fort where Mallory lived.

            “Moneypenny. And you must be Q.” Mallory nodded to each of them individually as they made their way through the great markets behind the troop. When he spotted James next to Q, dressed like one of the mercenaries, he frowned. “And who’s this young fellow? Shouldn’t he be helping the men?” he asked with a frown.

            “Ah,” M started.

            “His name is James,” Q cut in. “We found him living in the jungle.”

            James was shocked away from the wonders of the city around him by the sound of his name. He notice Mallory was looking at him. “Hello.”

            “In the jungle you say? Well I’m intrigued!” Mallory patted James shoulder before walking ahead of him. “You’ll be sure to tell me all about it over dinner.”

            “Of course,” James said with a nod. He caught Q’s eye then and they shared a smile.

-o-

            They spent the afternoon organising their affairs, and planning for the week before they’d make their way back out into the woods. M told Q to have James help the men unpack. He left James with Silva and then returned to help M and Moneypenny explain their survey results to Mallory.

            Mallory took great interest in their findings; pointing at maps and having them describe the areas and the creatures that lived there. When Q mentioned the wolves that James lived with Mallory was shocked and wondered how on earth he’d gotten there in the first place. M explained James’ past.

            “Anthony Bond,” Mallory nodded solemnly as she concluded. “I knew the man. Great tragedy, loosing him.”

            That evening Mallory was having a grand feast. It was unusually extravagant, but he claimed it was to celebrate their successful survey and to welcome the long lost son of an old friend. There were upper-classes from the city and many the officers from around the Fort. There was pudding and dancing, all the makings of a merry celebration.

            James felt overwhelmed. He stood alone by the drinks table; warily eyeing the glass of wine Q had given him before wandering off to the other end of the hall to have a chat with M, Mallory and Moneypenny. He watched Q from where he stood and he knew he could go over, but he had no interest in engaging in conversation in such a loud environment.

            “Oi! Ape man!”

            James frowned. When he heard the yelling continue he turned to the two men calling on him.

            “William,” one said. His tone was reprimanding but he was still smiling. “He’s wearing an officer’s uniform.”

            “It’s definitely him!” The other, William, gesture towards James. “He’s the one they brought back from the jungle. Someone’s just put the monkey man in a suit.”

            “Maybe they’ve taught it to dance as well?”

            “What’s you name, Ape?”

            James stared at them blankly for a long while before he answered. “Bond. James Bond.”

            William whistled. “Listen to him trying to sounding all proper!” he laughed.

            “So, they’re teaching animals to speak now!?” The other soldier joined in with a snide tone of his own.

            James’ jaw clenched. “I am not an animal,” he hissed. As the British soldiers continued to harangue him, he began contemplating seizing William’s throat.

            “Hear how he growls!” The soldiers laughed.

            “And see how he rips out your throat with his teeth if you go talking like you are.”

            James turned to see Silva approach the scene from behind him. The man was staring at the two Brits with a bored expression. Silva stopped to stand between them and James.

            William scoffed. “What are you doing here, Spaniard?”

            “I didn’t know the plebs were invited.”

            Silva only chuckled at their insults. “You see these, James,” he said with a wave, ignoring the soldiers completely. “These are civilized English gentlemen.”

            The soldiers seemed confused, but James quickly clued in.

            “That so?” He smirked. “I was having trouble distinguishing them from a couple of dogs.”

            The soldiers looked aghast. They harrumphed and turned away, heading back towards the bustling party.

            Silva was laughing boisterously as they turned tail and ran. He struck James on the back with a friendly slap. “That’s how you do it!”

            James simply shrugged. Any tension he’d felt before had vanished. He had Silva to thank for that.

            “Come!” Silva said suddenly, cutting into his thoughts. “This reception is tedious and I would enjoy a cigar in private.”

            James shot a quick glance over to Q before he followed Silva. They adjourned to a terrace up the stairs and slightly away from the gathering down below. Silva leaned against the balustrade overlooking the city below. He pulled a cigar out of his jacket and went about lighting it.

            James was leaning against a wall near the threshold. He was looking at the wall opposite with a frown on his face. His head cocked to one side and a little sheen of recognition lit up in his eyes.

            “I have seen that hat,” he said, nodding towards the wall.

            Silva followed his gaze. He saw the painting James was eyeballing. It was an old baroque piece of the king of France. King Louis dressed in all his royal finery. A strange piece to have in a British fort, but Silva shrugged that off.

            “What do you mean you've seen that hat?” He snorted. “That’s the king of France and that,” Silva gestured with his cigar, “is his crown.”

            “Well, the _Bandar-log_ have stole him crown. It’s in their temple.” James side eyed Silva with an odd glance as a look of great interest spread across his face.

            “ _Bandar-log_? Monkeys?” Silva was staring at him with an expression of awe. "And… you’ve seen this temple?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper.

            James nodded. "It's where I found this." He placed his hand on the hilt of the gold gun he carried with him ornamentally holstered to his suit as Q had suggested before. "People used to bring their valuables as tribute to the gods, now Monkeys bring things to the temple stolen off of traveling men like yourself. It is a very dangerous place. Sacred. Protected by the jungle."

            Silva chuckled. "How poetic."

            James frowned. "Poetic?"

            "Poetry. It’s – ah…” Silva waved his hand gesturing at nothingness as his mind failed to come up with an explanation.  “Have the boy read you some."

            “James?” Q’s voice sounded through the thin walls.

            “Speak of the devil,” Silva chuckled, placing his cigar between his lips.

            “Ah! There you are,” the Q said as he came around the corner. “Mister Silva,” he greeted the man curt with a nod before approaching James.

            “I’m sorry for wandering off. Have you been searching for me?” James asked. Q seemed surprised by the weariness in his voice. He looked as though he was about to ask what was wrong when Silva cut in.

            “Well, James, It seems our time together has been cut short,” the man said with a forlorn sigh. “I do how you’ll take us to that Temple once we’re back out in the field one of these days.”

            James let out an amused huff. “Did you miss the part about it being a dangerous place?” he asked with a chuckle. “And sacred, outsiders are forbidden to enter its gates. It would mean your death and quite possibly mine should I take you there.”

            Silva looked at him with an odd expression. “Well, no matter,” he said after a while. There was something in his tone that James couldn’t place, but he chose not to dwell on it too much. “He’s all yours, Q.”

            “Right.” Q looked back and forth between the two of them for a moment. “Well, goodnight, mister Silva.”

            Silva’s only reply was a heavy grunt as he strolled out of the balcony and back over to where the party was starting to settle down.

            James and Q headed back to their rooms. When they reached the empty halls just outside the doors, Q was positively bursting to question James. “What were you talking about up there with Silva?” he demanded in as light a tone as he could.

            James chuckled. “The Monkey Temple,” he replied casually.

            Q stared at him with a blank expression. “Okay… but why did you leave? You could have just come found me if you were feeling lonely.”

            James sighed, unable to tell Q that he had very little interest in or understanding of their scientific debate. He also pondered whether or not he should tell Q about the British soldiers who’d harangued him. He decided against it, choosing instead to shoot Q a small smile.

            “Silva offered so I went along with him,” he replied simply.

            Q huffed. It was no secret he didn’t have much of a fondness for the Spaniard or his men. “I guess it’s time for bed, then. It is getting late.”

            James raised a single brow at Q’s lack of segue. His meeting with Silva must have really piqued the boy.  When Q said his final goodnights, James nodded and tried to follow him into his room.

            Q stopped him with a soft hand pressed to the sash running across his torso. “No,” Q laughed. “James you have your own room here. People will talk if you follow me into mine.”

            “Talk?”

            “Gossip,” Q clarified.

            With a huff, James looked up and down the empty hallway. “Well, what people? No one is here.”

            Q rolled his eyes. “What if someone sees us leave together in the morning?”

            James shook his head. He had yet to grasp the constructs that dictated how to behave in ‘polite society’. All he understood was that he wanted to sleep with Q by his side.

            “Look, you’re rooms just there so I’ll be right next door.” Q looked around quickly before pressing a chaste kiss to James’ lips. “Goodnight, James.”

            James stood in the hall for a long while even after Q had disappeared into his room. They were only going to be in the city for a couple weeks. Soon they would be back in their tent, sleeping side-by-side. Then he could hold Q once more.

            Even with this logic drawn, as James stepped towards his own door, he felt like he was walking through soft clay. He couldn’t bear not sleeping next to Q for even one night. He already missed Q’s familiar scent. The incense and potpourris scattered throughout the palace were too strong and unfamiliar.

            With a devious cunning, James waited until he knew Q would be tucked up in bed before sneaking into his room that night. The door was unlocked so he had no trouble getting in. He closed it quietly and made his way towards the luxurious bed in the center of the room. It was so big and there were so many blankets and pillows that Q looked tiny curled up in the middle of it all.

-o-

            Q woke with a start at the feeling of weight on the bed next to him. “Wha-” he spun around and caught sight of familiar blue eyes smiling in the darkness. “James? I told you, you’re not to be in here.”

            Like the puppy he’d been raised as, James simply leaned close to Q, nuzzling his neck as he made soft cooing noises.

            Q had never truly thought of himself as an easily relenting man, but with a sigh he reached up to pull James down onto the bed with him. “Just go to sleep,” he muttered, feeling James smile against his neck.

            James cradled Q back into the plush bedding. He wouldn’t stop moving and Q suddenly realized that James was only wearing his pants.

            “James!”

            “Q?”

            Q pushed him up by his shoulders. “Did you walk through the halls like that?”

            James smirked. “Should I not have?”

            “Good lord, James, ” Q said with a sigh. “Just sleep.”

            “Don’t want to sleep.”

            Q was about to protest when suddenly the blankets were pulled back leaving him staring up at James in all his shirtless glory. “Oh?” he breathed.

            James leaned forward, touching then unbuttoning Q’s Pyjama’s. He worked slowly giving Q time to raise his objections if he wanted. From his heavy-lidded gaze and flushed cheeks, it was fair to say he had none.

            Once he was naked, Q found himself being shoved back down onto the bed. James followed him down, his hands already running all over Q’s slender body.

            James settled himself between Q’s knees. He reached between their bodies to stroke Q and make him feel good like they usually did. Before he touched skin a hand on his wrist stopped him.

            “Wait, James.” Q stopped him, another hand pressed to his chest. “Can we try something… different?” he asked in an overtly suggestive tone.

            James frowned. “Different?” he repeated slowly. “Is different good?”

            Q bit back a wide smile. “Very good.”

-o-

            James watched in silence as Q writhed back against the pillows. Q had wet his fingers with the oil from a scented candle and was slowly working them into his body. The sight, the slow draw of Q’s fingers in and out of his tight body, it had James transfixed. He clenched his fist to keep from stroking himself to orgasm too soon.

            Q’s fingers slowly left his body, but he pointed towards slick hole and looked up at James suggestively. Taking the cue, James inched forward to replace Q’s fingers with his own. He pushed two, none to gently, inside Q. Even though he had no idea what he was doing, James knew it turned Q into a writhing mess of desire, so he was grinning as he thrust and twisted his fingers.

            James withdrew and Q rolled over, pulling himself up onto all fours. Behind him, he could hear the rustle of fabric that came from James removing his pants. Q looked back over his shoulder, chewing his lip as he watched James work his cock, stoking it steadily in his fist.

            “Go on,” Q said breathlessly. “You know what to do.”

            James pressed the head of his cock against Q, teasing him before slowly pushing in. He let out a heavy sigh as a warm heat the likes of which he’d never felt before embraced his length from ever angle.  It was so good. He needed more. He needed to be buried inside Q. In a lusty haze, James slammed the rest forward, thrusting himself inside, forcing a pleasured scream from Q.

            Q dropped onto his elbows. He bit his knuckled to keep from crying out again, but every once in a while James would snap his hips forward just right. In those pleasure filled split seconds, Q couldn’t control himself.

            The filthiest of sounds were torn from his throat as James leaned over him, covering his body, letting Q feel the deliciously warm press of his skin.  James circled his hips in a way that had Q clenching his fists in the sheets. Every languid thrust reached something deep inside him that had him begging more, harder, faster.

            Q collapsed onto the bed at some point. He was unable to hold himself up. The pleasure made his limbs weak and shaky. He could feel James’ hot breath on his neck as he followed him down.

            James’ legs moved to the outside of Q’s, pulling the smaller man’s limbs together. His hips slapped against the curve of Q’s ass, which rippled deliciously. James gripped Q’s cheeks, holding them together as his thrusts sped up to a nearly unbearably overstimulating pace. Q had to bite his lip to keep from screaming.

            James’ hands on his hips were pressing him down into the plush sheets. The way James held him down and the feeling of the fine, silky linen rubbing against him set Q off. His orgasm erupted from him, and he arched forward with a sharp cry.

            When James came moments later, it was with a noise that could practically be described as a howl. His grip on Q’s hips tightened, pressing their connected bodies as firmly together as possible. They would be lucky if he didn’t wake up half the fort.

            As the two of them came down, the room was filled with only the sounds of their mingled breaths as they both gasped for air. Q turned his head to the side so he could reach James’ lips over his shoulder for a lazy kiss. When they broke apart, James rolled off Q and pulled him close, pressing his face into the side of Q’s neck.

            “Q,” he murmured affectionately after a time. 

            Q let out a satisfied little sigh and cuddled into the warmth of James’ arms.

            “Go to sleep,” he said, sleepily repeating his order from before.

            With a breathless laugh, James did.

            

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm going for two or three more chapters, it all depends on how the flow goes or if I add an epilogue etc.  
> Thanks for sticking with me, sorry for the amount of time between chapters (blame my Uni profs) :P
> 
> As always your Comments and Kudos are well received~!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are approaching the end of our tale~ Things are getting pretty hairy...

            To every member of the team, the stop off in the city felt far too short. The party was sad to be leaving, but with fresh supplies and a new heading they all had a renewed interest in getting back out into the field. It was early in the morning, when they began preparing to leave. They needed to reach their new camp before dark.

            “Where is Silva?” James asked as he watched uniformed British soldiers pack up their carts with their weapons and replenished supplies. Neither the Spaniard nor any of his mercenaries were present in the courtyard that morning.

            “I’ve paid Silva and his men their wages plus more than enough to see them back home to Europe,” M explained with a huff. “Too be honest, I’m glad to finally be rid of them.”

            “Oh?” James frowned. They had argued often, but James hadn’t been given the impression that M disliked Silva so much that she would fire him so abruptly.

            M shrugged impassively. “Mallory offered some of his men for the last part of our journey. They’ll be paid their regular soldiers wage, so it seemed like a better idea. These men are proper soldiers, James. They are better supplied, well trained… I think we’ll have less trouble with them.”

            “Could you go find Q,” She asked after taking a moment to survey the packing. “We need to sort out any final arrangements before we head out.”

            “Yes, ma’am,” James said with a smirk that made M roll her eyes. He left the front yard, heading back into the fort to begin his search for Q.

            James found Q quickly. He was near the dining hall, taking in hushed tones with Moneypenny. The two of them had somber expressions. James decided not to interrupt and so stood back out of the way.

            “I’m staying here to work with Mallory, Q,” Moneypenny said with her arms crossed over her chest.

            Shocked, Q’s expression dropped. “But, Moneypenny, M needs you.”

            Moneypenny closed her eyes and shook her head. “I know, but she has you and… the whole thing, loosing you all those months back and that animal attack the night before we came here; I’m still anxious about, well, everything.” She sighed. “Being back to civilization has given me some time to think and I’ve decided no more fieldwork for me. Strictly lab stuff.”

            “Moneypenny,” Q said softly. “I’m sorry. I’ll miss working with you ever so much.”

            Moneypenny smiled. “Maybe you’ll get tired of fieldwork soon as well. You’ll be back soon! You can work with me here.”

            “Sounds perfectly marvelous,” Q didn’t resist beaming back at her. “I’ll definitely consider it.”

            “Q,” James cut in at that point, greeting them both with a nod. “M is looking for you.”

            Q shot James a quick glance before turning back to his friend. “Good bye, Miss Moneypenny,” he said with a sad nod.

            Moneypenny smiled and waved Q farewell as he went to James’ side.

-o-      

            With their new team consisting of mostly British soldiers alongside a few locals, Q, M and James traveled out of the city back into the jungle later that morning. Things went more smoothly with everyone speaking the same language; it especially made M more comfortable. There were no secrets between them anymore.

            The troop traveled the entire day and in the early evening they came upon their predetermined camp for the night. The soldiers were quick and efficient in their set up; Q felt useless. In fact, if Moneypenny was still with them he knew that he would be completely useless. There was no longer any need for a quartermaster when these soldiers were all trained and trusted with their own equipment.  Even James had something to do, having been sent to hunt the forest for anything edible they could mix with their plain, flavourless rations during their venture.

            James was still out when Q sat down with the rest of the troop to eat. The camp was filled with friendly banter and conversation as the men sat around to enjoy their supper. They were all completely unsuspecting.

            That was when the attack came.

            The bandits came upon them without warning. They broke through the line of trees, firing heavy guns with a precision that saw the camp in an instant state of chaos. Most of the soldiers who had joined them from the fort were all killed before they even had a chance to grab for their weapons.

            Q dived behind the log he’d been sitting on. He covered his head with his hands, as gunfire ripped the wood apart. He winced as splinters of wood and shrapnel cut his skin. When the gunfire died down, an eerie silence took its place.

            Then there were footsteps approaching.

            Q’s breath quickened. He didn’t know who else had survived, but he wasn’t going to remain to find out. In painstaking silence, he tried to crawl towards the line of trees, hoping to disappear into the thick wood, but a hand on the back of his shirt stopped him. He struggled as he was lifted to his feet and dragged back towards the main camp.

            Q could see the devastation now, though he wanted to block out the images. Their camp was in ruins; blood soaking the ground and bullet holes torn through the gory fabric of their tents. Much of M’s scientific equipment was left nothing more than a smoking wreck.

            Q was thrown back down onto the muddied ground.

            “On your knees!” the man dragging him yelled. When Q wasn’t quick enough to respond, he pressed his gun against the side of the young man’s head.

            “Stop. Tiago said the scientists are not to harmed,” another bandit interjected, though Q couldn’t understand because they were not speaking English. He did see the result of the bandit’s words, however. The gun aimed at his head was lowered.

            “Report!” At that shout from their leader one of the bandits walked off.

            Q took the moment to look around. He caught sight of a familiar form. “M!” She was bloodied and appeared to be unconscious, but Q could see her ribcage moving with steady breaths.

            “Their monkey isn’t here,” one of the bandits said. Q still couldn’t under stand the language he spoke, but he listened intently. Their accents, they weren’t local. These men sounded… European, not Indian.

            The one the bandit was speaking to, presumably their leader, let out a frustrated sound.

            “He’ll be nearby,” the leader hissed. “Find him! And when you do bring him to me.”

            Q’s eye widened. These men were all masked, but even in another language, he recognized the familiar twang in the bandit leader’s voice.

            Q’s brow arched in a confused expression “Silva?”

            The leader turned to Q, hearing his whisper. Only his dark eyes were visible through the fabric covering his face. Those eyes were smiling. He gave a quick gesture to one of the others and turned back to his business.

            Q’s breath sped up as one of the bandits approached him. The last thing he saw was the butt of a rifle. Then everything went black.

-o-

            Meanwhile, not too far away, James was still surveying the wild grasses and fruit-bearing trees.  He was far enough into the bush that the commotion back at camp was only a distant murmur that he mistook for the soldiers setting up.

             The distinct sound of twigs snapping under heavy footfall, however, did not go unnoticed.

            James turned fast to see a man dressed to disguise his face approaching through the trees. Their eyes met and the man smiled behind the fabric covering his face. He continued his approach towards James, wielding a machete that he had been using to cut vines as a weapon now. The man eventually came to a stop a short distance away from James. His hand tightened on his machete in a way that said he was ready to use it.

            With a growl James ran at the man to attack first, but in doing so he missed the other bandit on his right. The second man whipped a thick, rope net over James, tripping him up and sending him hurtling to the ground below. James struggled to free himself and was quite close, but the bandits were quick to halt his attempts to escape.  First the just tried to bind him, but when that didn’t work one man flipped his gun in his hand and used the helve to strike James across forehead.

            The blow knocked him off balance. James fell to his knees, but did not let up his struggling. It was the second blow to his temple that sent him into unconsciousness.

-o-

            James woke slowly. He could see the blurry light of morning shining through the bullet hole ridden fabric of the tent he was in. He tried to move, but found himself bound. His arms were behind his back and looking down James could see that his legs were tied to the front feet of the chair.

            “Welcome back to the land of the living.”

            His vision was still foggy, but James new that voice. He turned towards it and watched as a shadowy figure approached to sit in the chair across from him.  James’ eyes focused narrowed on the man.

            “Silva,” James hissed through gritted teeth. He called the man by name but his tone said ‘traitor’.

            Silva chuckled. "Yes. Hello, 007," he said with a wide grin as he sat in the chair across from James.

            James stared right through him, not making move to respond or even further acknowledge his presence. He stared at a spot just behind the mercenaries’ shoulder with practiced indifference.

            Silva smirked, leaning slightly to try and catch James’ eye. "Now I know you can understand me, 007, your lessons have been going oh so well."

            He received no reply.

            Silva leaned back in his chair and let out a short huff. "If you don't start letting me know we are communicating here, I'm going to have to do something... Unpleasant to our little friends,  the scientist." His expression grew smug when he saw how easily James’ attention was drawn. “Oh yes, I have them in much the same state as you.”

            James' eyes narrowed. A deep rumble sounded from his chest. Silva let out a laugh at that.

            "Now we are getting somewhere."

            "What do you want?" James demanded, cutting straight to the point.

            Silva made a soft tutting sound. "Come now, monkey man, no need to get cross."

            James continued to glare at him. He refused to repeat himself.

            With a dramatic sigh, Silva leaned forward, his hands moving to rest on James thighs, sliding upward. "You know what I want. Just tell me," he purred.

            James' eyes flicked away from Silva for a moment. He played ignorant. “I don’t know.”

            Silva let go of James thighs and he was suddenly leaning back in his chair. "Tell me where the Monkey Temple is," Silva said slowly, all feigned cheer and pretense gone from his voice.

            "No," James replied in the same slow patronizing tone.

            Silva let go of James’ thighs and stood. With a frustrated noise he began pacing the floor in front of his captive. James’ eyes followed his every move.

            "I don't-" Silva stared then stopped, shaking his head with a grin. "I didn't want to do this," he whispered to himself without a hint of remorse. He sat down in front of James once more. His face twisted into a cocky expression. "If you don't give me what I want, I am going to take something that you want." 

            James’s brow creased. Thoughts of Q ran through his mind. When he heard Silva’s laugh, he feared his expression betrayed him.

            "Oh yes, 007. As I said, I have you boy tied and bound in the next room over. So, if you don't tell me where the temple is I may have to do something not very nice to him."

            James shook his head. "I don't understand."

            Silva sat down in the chair across from him once more. He held James’ gaze for a long moment, then his hands slid back onto the Wildman’s knees. His grip tightened.

            "You will tell me what I want to know, or I will fuck your boy raw right here in front of you until he's begging me to stop through his tears.” Silva short James the most disgusting of smiles as he continued. “Then I will let my men all have a turn at him... Do you understand that?"

            James glared at him, fire burning in his eyes. "Yes," he replied after the briefest silence.

            Silva stood again, triumphant. "So we've reached an accord! You will take me to the temple, I will take the treasure and then we will simply part ways, you with your boy and me with my gold."

            “No.” James didn't believe it was going to be that simple, not even for a minute.

            "I want to see Q first."

            Silva rolled his eyes. "Of course you do. The monkey man is so very single minded."

            James watched with curious eyes as Silva passed through a flap into another section of the main tent. When he returned he was dragging Q along with him. Q was limp, gaged and bound in Silva's arms. James struggled against his bonds for a moment. “If you’ve hurt him-“

            Q was fine though. Squinting at James, he tried to make out the Wildman’s form without his glasses. His eyes squeezed shut again as the cold metal barrel of a gun pressed to his temple. He let out a quiet whimper when he heard the gun being cocked.

            Silva chuckled breathily into one ear as he held a gun to the other. "Now you will tell me," he said, looking back at James, "or I will have a go at fixing our precious Quartermaster's seeing troubles with some lead to the visual cortex of his brain." Silva pressed the gun to the back of Q’s head and shrugged. "I've not really studied to be an eye doctor you see."

            James didn't fully understand his words, but he understood the threat. "Let Q go first!" 

            Silva let out an incredulous sound. “And give up my best piece of leverage?” He laughed and pressed his gun further into the juncture at the back of Q’s neck, drawing a gagged wail from the boy. "You will tell me where the temple is first!"

            James bit back a growl. "I cannot tell you where the monkey temple is," he replied, quickly adding, "I have to lead you there," upon seeing Silva's finger twitch slightly on the trigger.

            Silva hummed. To James’ relief he slowly lowered his weapon.

            “Good boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I take so long~ This is the last time I post a fic before I've finished writing it, that's for sure.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my friends, my friends, forgive me~  
> Last chapter will not take a month to write I swear. I'm finished with school now so don't worry! I will complete this! :D

            Q was dragged off to a different tent leaving James to be held back where he’d been before, in the more easily monitored main tent. Patrice practically chucked Q through the fabric flaps and onto the tarp covered ground.

            Before leaving Patrice parted the fabric and said, “If you leave, we shoot you.” It was a simple warning that Q wasn’t going to consider going against.

            He let out a sigh and rubbed his wrists, soar and chapped from being tied up for the better part of the evening. What were they to do? They were a day’s travel from the British fort and there was no one to come to their aid out there in the wilderness. Silva must have known this and waited for the opportune moment to strike at them. Damn him.

            Suddenly, Q jumped at the sound of a groan behind him and spun around.

            “M!” Relief was evident in his cry. Q ran over to the woman propped up against a bedroll on the ground. “Thank god, you’re alright! You are alright, aren’t you?”

            “Q?” M said. She was clutching her head and looking around, bewildered. “What happened?”

            “They’ve taken us hostage.”

            “They…“ M huffed angrily. “Silva.”

            Q nodded. "He's not what we thought, M. Silva, it… it was an alias. I heard his men speaking as they brought me over here; His real name is Tiago Rodriguez.”

            M’s eyes widened. “Not… The Tiago Rodriguez.”

            There was a man by that name, well known throughout Europe and the Colonies as an outlaw and a poacher. Tiago Rodriguez was a man wanted around the world; a man who definitely didn’t have any clearance to travel across boarders or through any government checkpoints. Silva on the other hand…

            “God… I gave him passage.” M buried her face in her hands, ashamed.

            “You couldn’t have known.”

           Q touched her shoulder, hoping to comfort her, but she hissed in pain. “M! You’re hurt?”

            “No, I’m fine just leave me be.” M shook her head, bunching her jacket around her further. She nodded as Q backed off.

            A moment later, M let out a heavy sigh. “What fine mess have I gotten us into?”

            Q leaned back with a sigh. “I don’t know, but they’re planning to force James to tell them where some temple is. What could they want with some old ruins?”

            “If Silva believes the legends about the Monkey Temple, we could be the hostages of his delusions.”

            “Legend? What legend?”

            M pressed her hands together and started to explain. “It is said that there is a temple deep, deep in the jungle. Apparently there was a time, when ancient kings would bring all their greatest treasures to the temple as an expression of sacrifice to their gods. Some even claim that Mansa Musa was said to have gone there and deposited some of his wealth.”

            “So, the temple… it’s filled with these ancient riches?”

            M shrugged. “If the legends are true.”

            Q was about to note that that would be unlikely, but that moment Silva’s man Patrice reentered the room.

            “Get up.” He said with a sneer. “Tiago wants a word with you two.”

-o-

            James and Silva sat in silence as they waited for Patrice to return with the other prisoners.

             “M and Q… we all trusted you, Silva.” James muttered with a narrow glare.

            Silva pulled a face that was somewhere between apologetic and amused. He was obviously tickled by that fact. “That was sort of the point,” he noted. “All part of the plan, Double-O-Seven.”

            "M?" James growled and pulled at his bindings as Q helped M limp into the main tent.  “M, you’ve been shot?”

            "She's fine." Q eyed him, silently begging him not to struggle. It would only make things worse.

            Silva stood over them and paced the room ominously.

            “We’re leaving this site for the temple.” He eyed his prisoners, but he was speaking to Patrice. “We need to get out of here before more British soldiers turn up.”

            Patrice left to tell the other mercenaries with a nod and a blunt, “sir.”

            Silence loomed over the four remaining in the tent.

            “Now… you three.” Silva pointed at each of them in sequence. “Are you all ready for our little adventure?”

            “Silva,” Q started before shaking his head to correct himself, “Tiago. We cannot leave now.”

            Silva frowned, a dark look passing over his eyes. No one would tell him what he could and could not do, but still he asked, “Why? Do inform me?”

            Q worried his lip. “It’s already getting dark. We’ll be travelling through the jungle in the dark… at night. It’s not safe.”

            “Scared of the dark, boy?” Silva chuckled. “Double-o-seven, how far is the Monkey Temple from here.”

            James growled, but he gave up the information. “A day…. If we travel fast.”

            “A day. Then I want to be standing outside the Monkey Temple by this time in the afternoon tomorrow, and if I’m not…” Silva shrugged and marched over to M, placing a heavy hand on her injured shoulder and causing her to let out a pained gasp. “I may have to help ease M’s suffering.”

-o-

            Even though it was already dusk, the group began their long trek through the jungle. It was getting dark and the many predators of the night were starting to prowl around them. The mercenaries’ heads jerked around. They aimed their guns, trying to find the sources of the growling sounds, but all they could see was the occasional glow of eyes in the darkness.

            James was the only one who remained stoic. He walked ahead of the group alongside Silva. It was so dark in the jungle; it was impossible to see your hand in front of your face. James knew their path was a treacherous one, but he led on.

            “Be careful,” he murmured, taking a large step around some object only he could see. “This ground is dangerous.”

            Most of the group followed James’ steps, but the men further back hadn’t heard his words as clearly.

            “What do you mean ‘the ground is-‘?” At the back of the line, Patrice’s voice broke off into an abrupt cry.

            Silva halted their lines. “Patrice?!”

            James spun around. He grabbed a torch from the man behind Silva and pushed through the shadowed faces of the rest of their troop.

            “James?” Q said with a frown as he passed. “James!”

            James tried to turn to reassure him that everything was fine, but Silva pushed him on. They reached the end of their line, but Patrice was no where to be found.

            “Patrice!” Silva called again.

            “Help! For god sake! Help!”

            James cast the light from the torch over the area they’d all passed before.

            Patrice was there, buried nearly up to his waist in mud and sand. Only the upper half of his body was visible. He was struggling to reach for some sort of ledge, but there was nothing to grab onto.

            Silva growled. He turned to James. “Get him out!”

            James put a hand out to Patrice. “Don’t struggle!”

            “Help me!”

            “Don’t struggle or I cannot!”

            James tried to reach again. He pressed himself to the edge of the pit where the quick sand met the solid ground. “Take my hand!” he shouted, as he stretched his arm as long as he could towards Patrice.

            Patrice gasped. He had descended up to his neck. One of his arms breached the surface of the quicksand, but the wet sludge on his fingertips made it impossible for him to get a grip on James’ fingers.

            “Help me! Help me, please! Don’t let me drown.”

            “Reach!”

            “I can’t! I-“ Partice’s words became garbled as his mouth filled with wet earth and sand.

            James still reached for him. His hand was pulled under the surface of the earth as Patrice sank down.  Finally Patrice’s hand slipped from his all together. Patrice’s eyes were pleading with him all the way up until he finally disappeared; sucked under the earth.

            James let out a raged breath. He didn’t care much for Patrice, but that didn’t make his failure to save the man any less harrowing.

            Having watched the entire event, Silva’s eyes were wide with some indescribable emotion. He stared down at the still surface of the quicksand as it once more disguised itself as any other part of the forest floor. Any emotion that had been there left Silva’s face in a similar fashion.

            “I’m sorry,” James whispered from his place, muddied on the ground.

            Silva didn’t speak for a long while. He turned from the spot and began marching back towards the head of the line.

            “Let’s go.”

-o-

            Patrice wasn’t the only man lost on their journey to the temple. By morning they reached an ancient bridge that crossed high over a ravine. Upon being spooked by a tiger’s growl in the distance, one man tripped and fell through the moldy wood down into the watery depths below. It seemed more and more likely that the path they traveled was cursed, as James’ had warned.

            Silva and his men were quiet for the rest of the journey. They were spooked and wary; there were even whispers among them that they should turn around, that no treasure would be worth dying over. In a rage, Silva demanded they keep moving.

            It was nearing noon and Silva was growling more and more agitated.

            “You said we would be there by now,” he hissed, glaring at James as he continued to lead them further into the jungle.

            James didn’t reply and led them onward. He only turned when he heard Q make a startled noise and the sound of a gun cocking.

            Behind him, Silva held Q with one large hand on the back of the boy’s neck. His gun was pressed to Q’s temple. “Where is the temple?” Silva squeezed Q’s neck, causing him to wince.

            James grit his teeth. “Listen.”

            Silva tried, but his men were talking in hushed voices.

            “I can’t hear anything.”

            “Shut up!”

            Finally he had silence from the troop. He could listen.

            It was then that he heard it; the sound James was leading them towards. In the distance came the whooping and chirping of what must have been hundreds of monkeys. It sounded like they had all congregated in the same place.

            The Monkey Temple.

            Silva released Q and shoved him back into M. “Move!”

            The team was forced to pick of their pace just to keep up. Eventually they broke through the trees and bush into a clearing. The huge jungle leaves no longer blocked the sun and they could see it now hanging high over a mountain. Not ten meters from them stood the ruin of a great arching threshold and beyond that the colossal pyramid structures that made up the Monkey Temple.

            M’s eyes widened at the sight. “So it really exists,” she spoke with equal parts awe and disbelief lacing her tone.

            Q gazed upon the wonder of the abandoned temple for a long while before his eyes dropped to James. The Wildman had a worryingly blank expression. His eyes trained on Silva.

            “You’re here now, let them go,” James demanded.

            Silva made several ‘tsk’ing noises with his tongue. “Oh, no, no, no. This place is vast.” The blond approached James and made sure the Wildman’s eyes were on him when he tapped the golden gun he had taken and placed inside his coat earlier.

            “I would have you lead me to the exact location where you found this.” Silva grinned at the sneer his words brought to James’ face.

            “That wasn’t part of the deal.”

            “I don’t really think you’re in a position to negotiate any previous contracts, Double-oh-seven,” Silva laughed. He snapped his fingers and waved for his men to keep moving. Once they’d reached the gateway, Silva gave new orders.

            “The woman is slowing us down, you three stay out here with her. The other rest follow me and bring the boy.”

            “Why are you bringing Q?” James asked, trying and failing not to give away his concern. “Leave him here with M.”

            “Oh no. I need Q here so I can make sure you don’t do anything stupid,” Silva said with a wicked grin. “One misstep or wrong turn and-“ He pointed his gun to Q’s head and made a soft noise like a trigger being pulled. “Do I make myself clear?”

            James stared into Q’s anxious eyes for a long while before answering. “Yes.”

            “Good.” Silva tucked his gun away once more and pushed James ahead of him. “Let’s get moving then, all that gold isn’t going to steal itself now is it.”

            James led their little off-branch through the ancient paths to the Temples’ main entrance. He marked forward with an unwavering gaze while Silva and his men were eyeing the monkey hoards that crowded onto the edges of the ruins.

            The creatures stared down at them, ominously. Their eyes were almost gleeful as they watched the men entered their forbidden temple.

            “There must be hundreds of them,” one of Silva’s men murmured quietly.

            “Hundreds, yes,” James replied automatically.

            Silva rolled his eyes. “They’re just bloody monkeys. Keep moving!” He shoved James again as they reached the curving doorway that led them into what seemed to be the main structure. Light from the sun beyond the threshold barely lit the black halls.

            “Light a torch,” James instructed.

            Silva gave his man a nod, sanctioning the order.

            A torch was lit and James snatched it from the man’s shaking hands before waving it over what appeared to be a gutter of some sort. There was a viscous liquid in the gutter and it caught fire easily. The flames burned bright, spreading along the gutter that now could be seen to wind all the way down the halls.

            Silva let out an unimpressed huff and snatched the torch back from James. “Go ahead with the boy, I want to be able to keep my eye on both of them.”

            James raised his hands in a yielding gesture as two of Silva’s men pushed past him with Q in tow. The last man grabbed James’ shoulder to move him along, but James only shrugged him off.

            “Where do we go from here, then, Double-oh-seven?” Silva asked snidely.

            James grunted at his tone. “I’ll lead you to the treasure room, but you must follow me exactly; the path ahead is-“ He wasn’t able to finish that thought.

            The two men holding Q had wandered down the short hall to the antechamber. It wouldn’t have been a problem, but one of the men had just tripped over what seemed to be a recessed tile. Only that tile hadn’t been recessed before he’d stepped there.

            Something mechanical slid into place, echoing with a soft thud somewhere behind the walls. Then the ticking started. James heard it first.

            “Q, get down!”

            Q was quick obeying. He dove to the floor, but the men holding him didn’t have such quick reflexes.

            There were ancient booby-traps, hidden in the stone decorations. Arrows shot out from crossbows behind the walls and buried themselves in the skulls of Q’s captors. As their bodies fell to the ground, James cried out again.

            “Run!”

            With only a second’s hesitation, Q picked himself off the floor and sprinted down the rest of the hall going left at the intersection at the end.

            Silva drew his gun, but James knocked it out of his hand.  The two of them struggled for a moment before the remaining mercenary got James in a chokehold and was able to pull him off Silva.

            Silva stood and reclaimed his weapon, but by the time he got another shot Q was already out of sight. He pointed the gun instead at James, encouraging the man to cease his struggling.

            James kneeled, panting heavily but no longer fighting. He was sure he had given Q enough time to get away… for the time being.

            Silva looked down the hall where Q had run off and let out a frustrated growl. He turned to his one remaining man.

            “Why are you just standing there!? Get after him!”

            The mercenary sprinted off down the hall. He was hesitant in his step, but no more floor traps went off.

            “I said we shouldn’t be here,” James murmured, staring down at the bodies of his fallen captors. “It’s dangerous.”

            Silva scoffed. “You got in and out just fine before, did you not?”

            James didn’t reply, which only made to anger Silva further.

            “Take me to the gold, or else when my man captures your boy – and he will, we both know this – I will do exactly as we discussed earlier… and then I will put a bullet in his neck and make you watch him bleed.” Silva was like a snake; his words hissed and filled with deadly promise.

            James took a deep breath. He looked down one last time to where Q had run and then he nodded. “Come.”

-o-

            A gunshot echoed through the decorated halls Q ran down. He mindful of any traps though it seemed those at the entrance were the only ones. The winding halls had few places from him to loose the pursuer he could hear catching up behind him.

            Another gunshot, closer this time, sounded from behind him. The bullet hit a wall above Q, sending bits of rock and tile raining down on him. Still, he kept running.

            “These halls can’t go on forever, boy!” The mercenary chasing him shouted.

            Q quickly found this to be true when he reached a chamber at the end of the hall. It was empty save for a set of stairs on the right side of the room. Knowing it was his only option, Q ran down the stairs, but even they only led to a lower burial chamber with a large heavily ornamented sarcophagus in the middle.

Q ducked down into the burial chamber as the footsteps approached. The mercenary had entered the room above him now; Q had no place left to run. So, he hid. As quickly and quietly as possible he crouched down behind the sarcophagus.

But he wasn’t quiet enough.

The mercenary heard him and with a laugh, followed him down the stairs.

            “Got you trapped now, eh?” The man chuckled. “Can’t hide forever.”

            Q shuffled around the sarcophagus as the man searched for him. He peaked out around the edge just in time to be nearly shot again. With a gasp, Q ducked for cover as the bullet ricocheted off two the metal plates decorating the walls. It was the mercenary’s shocked cry that made him peek out again.

            “My leg!” the man groaned.

            It seemed fire a weapon in such a confined space was not the best of ideas. Q tried to shuffle closer to the stairs in hopes of escaping unseen, but another shot had him ducking back again.

            This time, the bullet hit a curved piece of stone on the wall and shattered the thing. Suddenly, salt burst forth from the round hole, flowing out over Q. Pressure caused all the other stone pieces to burst as well until salt was pouring out of every wall. Salt quickly began filling the room Already they would have been up to their ankles if he stood.

            Q spluttered and looked around, the mercenary was thoroughly distracted by the salt getting in his gaping wound and there was little time. As the salt left the walls the floor became lower and lower, no longer held up by that support.

            Q risked another look at the mercenary before making a run for the stairs.

            “Get back he-“ The man couldn’t finish his words as suddenly another hole opened and salt poured over his face.

            Q made it up the stairs, ignoring the man’s muffled cries. Soon the floor lowered to block the stairway completely and the cries could be heard no more.

            Q took two steps back before collapsing against the wall with a heavy sigh of relief. After a moment’s rest, he stood, still covered in salt. He had to find James and get out of that godforsaken place.

-o-

            They could see golden light shining through the halls before they even reached the vault. The vault was a grand hall that rivaled the ballroom back at the British fort and it was filled to the rooftops with heaping mountains of gold, jewels and all the other riches imaginable. The sun shined in through the dilapidated roof and beamed down onto the piles of wealth making them glow in an ethereal light,

            “It’s real…” Silva whispered to himself. He pulled James along with him as they moved further into the room.

            James did not like this place; he had been there before and he had left quickly. Silva hadn’t noticed but along the ledge above them, monkey from outside were gathering. They tittered quietly, peering down at the two intruders with curious eyes.

            James did not like it. He had not stayed to see what they were waiting for last time he come and he did not want to find out now.

            “Silva we should leave. Take what you will, but then we should leave,” he whispered.

            Silva turned to James with a look of amused disbelief. He was about to speak when a loud whooping came from above them. The sound drew booth their attention.

            On a banister far above them a great Orangutan waddled comically into view. It almost seemed to be smiling down at them. It hooted again causing the smaller monkeys around the ledge to chatter and chirp madly. This racket went on for a long while, then the Orangutan lifted his crown from the bannister and placed it on its head. The room was once again silent.

            James was wary of the strange turn of events, but Silva only scoffed at the dramatics. He turned back to James, licking his lips.

            “Thank you, 007.”

            James heard the sound of a trigger being pulled back.  His gaze shifted from the Orangutan back to Silva. The man was smirking at him.

            “Sad as it may be,” Silva started slowly, “I fear I have no more use for you, Double-oh-seven.”

            James glared at him and stood firm. In what he believed to be his last moment, he prayed Q and M would be all right.

            Suddenly the silence broke. The Orangutan let out a few giddy hoots and clapped its hands. The chattering above them began again. The tiny creatures sounded as though they were anxious, like something was about to happen.

            The clinking sound of something moving thought the mounds of gold came from behind them. There was a low hiss and then the monkeys were silent again.

            Silva looked towards the sound, his focus shifting between it and James. There was more hissing and James took a few steps backwards towards the large well-like pool in the middle of the room.

            “Silva,” he said low, warningly. “We must leave.”

            “No!”

            At the loud shout the monkeys began chattering quietly. They were still waiting. As they waited the noise of their chattering began to swell.

            Silva ignored all of this and tossed James an empty sack. “Be of some use and fill this up.”

            James yielded, doing as Silva said. He crouched down over a mound of gold and jewels and started placing items in Silva’s bag. Just as he grabbed for a long string of pears, he realized the whole pile was moving. He jumped back, which startled Silva.

            “What are you doing? Get back to work!”

            “We shouldn’t be here, Silva!”

            “Did you not just hear me? I said-“

            Silva wasn’t able to finish. One of the monkeys above them let out a sharp cry and suddenly out of the mound in front of them a giant snake burst forward, mouth open wide and fangs splayed.

            James dogged the creature’s attack, but he was hit by the beast’s huge scaled body and knocked back into the pool. From below the surface James could hear that Silva had fired upon the creature, but he couldn't tell if it was a hit. Not that one bullet would be able to kill the massive creature.

            James swam to the surface of the water just in time to see Silva picking up his bags and strapping them to himself. The monstrous snake attacked him again, but this time Silva shot and landed a hit across the beast’s side.

            The snake writhed and turned away from its attacker, but still its tail lashed out. The tail whipped across Silva’s side, sending him hurtling into the middle of the pool. He tried to swim, to keep himself afloat, but the gold in the sacks he carried was weighing him down.

            James climbed out of the pool once the snake had run away scared. He reached for Silva, but the man was much to far away.

            Above the Orangutan king was hooting his displeasure. He wasn’t please that his pet had been injured and he had obviously been expecting more of a show.

            James growled at the ape before turning back to where Silva was spluttering at the surface of the pool.

            “Silva! Just drop the gold and swim!”

            Silva laughed hysterically. “Never!”

            “You’ll drown!”

            “No! I came all this way! You will not take this from me!”

            “Silva!”

            It took Silva until he was actually underwater to realize James was right. But by then it was too late. He struggled with the straps on his bag but they were twisted in his clothes and in some pearl necklace that had gotten out of the bag.

            Silva was dragged under by the weight of his own greed, deeper and deeper until he was holding his breath at the bottom of the pool. He looked to his sides and saw the skeletal remains of others who had met a similar end.

            Back above the surface, James looked up from the place in the pool where Silva had just disappeared under the surface. Across the water, he could see the thick-scaled body of the snake slipping into the pool.

            On the ledge above, the monkeys grew silent.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The steamy conclusion~

-o-

            Escaping the screeching monkeys behind, James made his way back out of the main room and through the twisting halls of the ancient Temple. He had to find Q. He could only hope was that he been able to get away and that James’ distraction when the traps set off had been enough to give him a head start on his pursuer.

            James reached that hall where they had first been separated, where he bodies of Silva’s mercenaries lay undisturbed on the floor. There was no sign of Q. James’ chest began to tense with worry as he started in the direction Q had run. He saw that the walls were riddled with bullet holes and the ground covered with blown off chunks of rock, but thankfully there was no sign that anyone had been hit… not yet.

            Up ahead, James saw the briefest shadow of movement. There were quiet sounds echoing out from the stony chamber at the end of the hall. James was careful in his approach; however, when he caught a glimpse of a slight figure at the end of the hall, he immediately recognised who it was.

            “Q!” he called out, relieved.

            “James! Oh, thank god!”

            James hugged Q to his chest. A possessive growl rumbled in his chest.

            “You’re safe?” he asked

            “Yes.” Q let out a sigh of relief. “You’re safe too.”

            James nodded solemnly.

            Q ran his hands comfortingly over the Wildman’s arms. “I was about to come looking for you! How did you get away?”

            “We were attacked.” James shook his head; he didn’t want to relive that moment. “The vault was a trap.”

            “The curse,” Q whispered. “And Silva...?"

            James was silent for a long while before answering simply, “dead.”

            “James,” Q choked out. His expression pinched tight with emotions held in. “I'm sorry. I’m so sorry. I wish I'd never pulled you into any of this."

            James shook his head once more and hugged Q close. "You're safe,” he said as he leaned forward to bury his face in the shorter man’s neck. His words spoke as if to say that that was truly all that truly mattered.

            Q let out a breath and looked around the deserted halls warily. "Not quite safe yet," he replied. He pulled away from James, and took his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

            And so, hand in hand, they ran back down the halls. It was time to leave that forsaken place.

-o-

            It didn’t take long to reach the entrance. Soon they were once more outside with the light from the sun high above shining down on them. However, they realized that while they may have been out of the darkness they hadn’t yet escaped danger. Silva’s mercenaries were still standing guard at the gate with M in their captivity. Maybe an hour had passed since they’d entered the temple with Silva so these men outside would not be on high alert… yet. They still had a chance to run.

            James peeked around a pillar to survey the situation when the men’s backs were turned. “They’re armed, and there are too many of them. We’ll have to find a way around,” he said to Q as he watched the men closely.

            Q pulled James back around the pillar just in time. One of the mercenaries turned and just missed spotting him. “What about M?” he hissed.

            James was about to speak when a gunshot ran out behind them. He covered Q as a bullet chipped the ancient pillar they were hiding behind, sending bits of rock flying over them.

            “I see you there!” One of Silva’s men shouted. “Come out!”

            “We know the secrets of the temple, we should run back and find another way out of the city,” James whispered.

            Q looked up at him, shaking his head. “We can’t! They have M. What would happen to her? We have to surrender. We’ll tell them the truth. The temple is cursed.”

            “Right,” James laughed at Q’s naivety. “Because that will stop them.”       

            Still, they didn’t have many options. Q and James stepped out from behind the pillar, their hands raised as they yielded to the mercenaries. Two of the men had their guns trained on James and Q while the other held M with his pistol pressed to her temple.

            “Where’s everyone else?” one of the men aiming at them demanded, his eyes were narrow and suspicious as he glared at Q and James down the sight of his gun.

            “Dead.” James shouted, plain and simple. The word had no sooner left his lips then the air between the two groups grew tense. In the distance they could see the men’s fingers twitched on their triggers.

            “The temple was a trap!” Q explained quickly to relieve the tension. “There were sand traps and crossbows hidden all over and…”

            “Shut up!” One mercenary shouted, his hands trembling now.

            The man holding M snarled at them. “How did you two get out then?” He demanded.

            James only laughed. “Silva and the others were… unlucky I guess.”

            “I knew it,” one man stuttered. “I knew this place was cursed. Oh god, we should never have come. It wasn’t worth it. It wasn’t…”

            Another man saw fit to scoff. “Shut up. Don’t you think it’s a bit too coincidental, only these two surviving. This isn’t a fucking curse, they either killed Silva and the others or got away somehow.”

            James smirked. “Good guess! Why not both?” he called out to them.

            “I love that you’ve perfected sarcasm, darling, but now’s really not the time,” Q interjected quietly as the mercenaries’ fingers again twitched on their triggers.

            “I disagree.”

            Q frowned, but James only continued to smile.

            Suddenly the sound of branches breaking under heavy footsteps and a loud shout sounded from forest behind the mercenaries.

            “Guns down!”

            Q recognised that voice immediately. His eyes widened. “Moneypenny?”

            Through the trees stepped a dozen soldiers; their rifles pointed at the Silva’s men as they moved in. Leading them, holding a pistol of her own, was indeed Moneypenny.

            “Put down your weapons,” she demanded in a loud, clear voice while pulling back on the trigger of her pistol. “I won’t ask again.”

            The mercenaries were riled, but they saw that they were out numbered and out gunned. Slowly, they dropped their weapons and placed their hands on the backs of their heads in surrender. As soon as the gunmen’s knees his the earth, the soldiers approached and one by one the mercenaries were bound and detained.

            Just like that, Q and James were saved. The two of them let out simultaneous sighs of relief.

            “Could you hear them? Through the trees?” Q asked James as they lowered their hands.

            “Perhaps.” James shrugged and smiled. He turned to their approaching rescuer and nodded in greeting. “Moneypenny.”

            Moneypenny holstered her pistol and greeted them both in a similar manner. “James, always a pleasure.”

            “Likewise.”

            “How did you know to come looking for us, Moneypenny?” Q asked and he shook hands with his gallant comrade.

            Moneypenny smiled as she explained, “One of Mallory’s soldiers escaped the massacre at your camp. He ran back and we were able to organise a rescue party within the hour. Silva’s men weren’t hard to follow, they didn’t even try covering their tracks.”

            “James lead us through soft terrain the entire way,” Q commented. Realization dawned. “Our tracks would have been obvious.”

            “They most certainly were.” Moneypenny let out a huffing laugh. “Apart from that, are you alright, Q?” she asked, turning get a good look at the younger man. She placed her hands on her hips and eyed him up and down, checking for any signs of injury.

            “Quite alright, a bit…” Q gestured vaguely towards the temple and the mercenaries, as if that explained everything.

            “Shaken up?” Moneypenny finished for him, with a raised eyebrow.

            “Yes.”

            The two of them laughed.

            Meanwhile, James’ eyes went to M who was being helped onto a stretcher by a small group of soldiers. “We need to get her help,” he said calmly.

            “I don’t know that she’ll survive the walk back,” Q whispered. “She wouldn’t let anybody see to the wound in her shoulder and she’s been bleeding for two days. What if…” Q couldn’t bring himself to finish.

            “This is M we’re talking about.” Moneypenny reassured Q by squeezing his hand in her own. “She’ll be fine. We’ll get her to the nearest base.”

            Q sighed. As they started back to the fort, he walked alongside the men carrying the stretcher and whispered. “Hold on, M.”

-o-

            When they arrived back at the fort they were all debriefed. Mallory wanted to get a full account of what happened during their kidnapping and who was responsible. With this testimony, Silva’s remaining men were sent to prison and all seemed just in the world.

            M survived her wound, but she wouldn’t be going out into the field in the foreseeable future. Doctor’s orders. Mallory had decided to throw a party to celebrate her recovery a few weeks after their safe return to the fort. It was a grand party. Still, that didn’t stop her from complaining from where she sat at the head of the banquet table with her arm in a sling.

            “No fieldwork? That is ridiculous!” M huffed. It was obvious that she was holding back, but she was still shaking with rage at the doctor’s evaluation of her condition. “I might as well just go back to England, for all the good staying cooped up here will do for my research.”

            “Perhaps that wouldn’t be so bad!” Moneypenny noted. “You could take James to see his homeland. He could meet his mother?”

            James seemed slightly interested, but he was more interested with Q’s opinion on the matter. He would stay with Q. That was his commitment.

            “I think we could stay a bit longer and still get some work done,” Q said. He smiled over at Moneypenny knowingly. “Though, after the weekend we had, I think I’d rather stay in the fort with you. Fieldwork is entirely overrated.”

            “Didn’t I tell you?” Moneypenny laughed. “But if none of us are out in the field, who will collect our samples? We’ll have no data.”

            “James could! He knows the jungles like the back of his hand, don’t you James?” Q looked up at the blond with a wide smile.

            “Well… for Queen and country, yes?” James shot him a little smirk.

            And so, it was decided. James would go out daily to collect samples and bring them back to the fort for analysis. Mallory was the one who needed the most convincing. Mallory only agreed to allow the ventures if James was accompanied by a few of his soldiers, for his own safety. James ignored this ruling, for the most part, unless he was out on a particularly long or important mission for M… or if he needed help carrying things back in which care a couple of grunts were always useful, especially if he was allowed to lead them wearing his father’s old suit. Soon, it became apparent that James had the makings of the perfect soldier and he deserved the title that came with the suit.

-o-

Sexy Epilogue

-o-

            Defying Mallory, as was his way, James went out on his own more often than not. He liked to spend the entire day out in the jungle while Q and the others worked, only returning to the fort for dinner or even later some days. Those days Q wasn’t entirely too pleased with him. James usually had to bring gifts.

            “What’s this?” Q asked, surprised one night as James hopped from an overhanging tree to crouch down on the thick balustrade outside his window wearing only his cotton pyjama bottoms. The Wildman was holding something out to him. Q joined him on the balcony and saw that it was a large red flower.

            “For you, darling,” James declared.

            He sounded so sincere that Q could barely stifle a chuckle. “You are a very silly man.”

            “Soldiers bring their wives flowers,” James noted, spinning the flower by its stem in Q’s face.

            Q was unable to stifle himself this time when he heard that comment. A loud burst of laughter filled the room.

            “I am not your wife, James,” he pointed out even as he took the flower.

            James accepted that technicality with a shrug. “But you’re mine?”

            Q looked up at him, but he didn’t respond; he just smiled. He took the flower James had brought back for him and twirled between two fingers. “I’ve never seen one of these before. I wonder what secrets this little plant possessed. It could be the cure for a thousand ailments, and we would be the first to find out.”

            As Q whispered these things to himself, James almost pouted at the diversion. He hopped off the railing and took Q’s shoulders in his hands. With practiced skill, pressed his fingers gently massaging for a moment before pulling the smaller man forward to him. Q’s eyes dropped as he leaned forward.

            “You’re mine,” James repeated more firmly. Seeing Q’s mildly piqued expression, he added, “and I’m yours.”

            At that Q smiled.

            “Yes.”

            With a wide grin, James manoeuvred Q towards the edge of the bed they now shared practically every night. More often than not, James would sneak over after everyone else went to bed, either through the halls or by leaping between their balconies.

            James took the flower from between Q’s fingers as they walked and placed it on the nightstand.

            “You won’t be needing that,” he murmured against the shell of Q’s ear.

            Q buried his face in James neck, kissing his strong collar. “Won’t I?” he asked, his voice only a whisper.

            James hummed and gently shook his head, no.

            It didn’t take long for the air to grow hot between them. James bent to catch Q’s lips in a chaste kiss that turned into something so much more intense. They couldn’t help moaning into each other’s mouths as their passions escalated.

            James lifted Q with his hands on the smaller man’s thighs, forcing his legs to wrap around his waist lest he fall. He moved them closer to the bed and, together, they tumbled down onto the plush mattress. Q ended up with James’ muscled body covering his own slender form completely. The Wildman’s weight pressed against him and he arched up into it. James exuded a strength that Q couldn’t deny being drawn to. His legs spread and James rolled his hips down sending a shock of pleasure through them both.

            They quickly stripped each other of their clothes. Their hands and lips kissed, caressed and fondled every piece of the other’s exposed skin. Never once did they stop touching; felling the soft slide of skin on skin was an irresistible sensation. Soon the room filled with the sound of Q’s gently panting and James’ deep moans.

            They made love, slow and yet with an animalistic urgency – something that James had brought to many aspects of Q’s life. James was always careful, but fierce. He entered Q and moved in him with deep thrusts that pushed Q up the bed until he was pressing his hands flat to the headboard, using it as leverage to push back on the sliding cock moving so perfectly inside him.

            James ran his fingers down Q’s seemingly delicate chest, rolling hard nipples between his fingers before leaning forward to take the tiny nubs into his mouth. The sharp lusty cry Q let out when he took one nipple gently between his teeth made him growl. He soothed the nub with his tongue as his hips slammed forward harder, faster.

            Q dug his fingers into James’ back with one hand and stroked himself with the other. His blunt nails left thin red welts in the Wildman’s back and his hips twitch up with every thrust. He arched to meet James, aching for everything he could give.

            “Oh god, yes. Yes! James!” His fist was flying over his cock until suddenly entire boy stilled. He went taught, crying out as he came.

            James rolled them over. He gripped Q’s hips and thrust up into him even as he collapsed, boneless across James’ chest. Q’s short gasps that came each time James moved into him were what set him off. He picked up the pace of his thrusts until the pleasurable build up of pressure burst in a final stuttered thrust.

            As he hit his climax, James let out extraordinarily wolfish a howl. His grip tightened on Q’s waist and he rolled his hips up against Q, drawing out the sensation. As he came down, he ran his hands possessively all over Q’s skin. Craning his neck, he a pressed kiss to Q’s upturned lips before the both relaxed back into their embrace.  

            While relaxing in the post-orgasmic bliss, Q eyed the flower on his bedside table. He reached out and gestured for James to hand it to him. When James clued in, he took it from the man and twirled it in his fingers before resting it next to his face on James’ chest.

            “You do realize I need at least fifty of these to get any tests done, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice exhausted.

            James frowned down at him only to see that Q was looking up at him with a little crease in the corner of his eyes that betrayed his hidden smile.

            Smiling in return, James shook his head. “The things I am willing to do for you.” He sighed dramatically.

            Q rolled his eyes. James loved the ventures into the forest. In fact, he more than likely enjoyed these little missions a lot more than Q enjoyed sending him out on them. They all now knew from experience, the jungle was a dangerous place.

            Q brought the large flower to his face and took in its exotic scent. He looked up at James, then and cast him a tired, but genuine smile.

            “I love you, James. It’s a lovely flower.”

            James sighed again, but this time he was contented. He pressed a kiss to the crown of Q’s head before pulling the smaller man close. Q fit against him so perfectly.

            “I love you too,” he said, his face still pressed into Q’s hair.

            Q let out a happy little hum. There was a tranquil silence between the two of them until he noted, “I’m still going to need fifty more of these flowers.”

            James let out an amused huff. Needless to say, he would have his work cut out for him. There were times he missed running with wolves, but somehow Q made it worth his while. Q, M, Moneypenny, they were his pack now and with them everyday began a new adventure and every mission was a success.

-o-

THE END

-o-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over! ;A; To those of you who have been reading since I started posting: Thanks for sticking with me all the way through even though it took so long! Thanks to everyone who read through in general, I hope you all enjoyed this little AU! As always your comments/kudos are much appreciated~!


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